


The New Adventures of Kara Starr

by Simon_says_fly



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DC Elseworlds, DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), Supergirl (TV 2015), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M, Kara Danvers is Kara Starr, NaNoWriMo, So many others - Freeform, Why’d she change her name?, new name
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-20 15:13:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 49,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16558148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Simon_says_fly/pseuds/Simon_says_fly
Summary: Kara and her sister had to escape from Earth 38. The world had turned against superheroes. After jumping through several dimensional portals, Kara and Alex are separated. Now all alone, Kara has to build a new life on a new Earth... and maybe find a way back to her sister.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> QUICK AUTHOR’S NOTES   
>    
> So... the Earth I’ve chosen is closer to actual reality, in that I’m going to use actual cities. I’ve tried to follow along with DC Continuity as to where their cities were located and/or supposed to be. Also, since Kara is on a different Earth, I’m going to play hard and loose with timelines from the various Arrowverse shows, as well as other DC properties.   
>    
> The following is also my attempt at taking on the 50,000 word challenge for the NaNoWriMo.  I apologize that this means my other works were left all alone, but I felt that this was the first time I might actually be up to the challenge.  I started work on ‘The New Adventures of Kara Starr’ on November 3, 2018 and the first part of two completed at the halfway point on November 8, 2018.  
>    
> I hope you enjoy.  Thanks for reading.  
>    
> Sincerely,  
> Veraklon  
>  

 >   
Earth 38  
May 2018  
>   
   
Doctor Wells had been wrong about the fifty-three universes within the multiverse. For such a genius, he’d kept his findings on a two dimensional scale (sadly, much as Star Trek had; all those spaceships flying along a linear plane.  The original Wrath of Khan was the only one to really ever talk about it) instead of branching out. At the very least, each reality had a cube of connecting mirrored universes. And sure, that meant there were multiple ways to cross into another dimension... not necessarily one to two to three, but maybe one to seventeen to ninety-one to three.  It just depended upon which direction you took.   
   
But, of course, The Flash ran, so side to side (like a scrolling video game), would be the obvious paths; but Supergirl could fly. And that didn’t even take into consideration the Legends and their time ship. If the multiverse was fluid, then maybe adding Time into the equation changed which universes were connected. Maybe thirty-seven and two were side-by-side three centuries ago and would be again in four thousand years from now.   
   
But no matter, really. It was mainly an observation due to the fact the Kara found herself on Earth One Hundred Fifty-nine... so very close to Earth One in so many ways, that she considered the distinct likelihood that her appearance on this Earth is what created the differences from Earth One... but that she really had no idea what she’d done.   
   
She came here eight years ago. Decided here it was safe enough that her home reality wouldn’t be able to follow her through all of the breach portal jumps and false trails that she had created. Originally, it had just been trying to escape capture by President Luthor and his revamped Department of Extra-normal Operations due to the warrant for her immediate apprehension and execution. Her Earth was not the place to be if you were anything other than regular human; no metas, no aliens, nothing special. Not that there had been really any left but Kara prior to her escape.   
   
About two years or so before finding this haven, Kara’s Earth had been subject to a multiple galaxy-spanning conflict that really had nothing to do with Earth at all, other than the fact that so many refugees had fled the war between Thangar and Rann, two planets that each brought allied planets into the conflict. When it was discovered several years into their war that certain personages had tried fleeing the conflict, assassins were sent to find then... and some had hidden on Earth.   
   
The resulting damage the alien assassins caused before the heroes of Earth could contain them was near catastrophic, and within it all, President Marsdin was discovered to being an alien imposter... having held the position as POTUS for her entire term as Leader of the Free World. The resulting outrage led to her assassination just hours after a call for Impeachment had been put forth in Congress. The world didn’t mourn, but rather cheered - and then her entire cabinet and elected officials were forced out of office; named positions immediately fired. In fact, her entire Party was decimated in less than a month. And then literally every human criminal imprisoned for acts against aliens had been set free; records expunged; not term served, but deemed innocent with an apology.   
   
Within three months, the charismatic Lex Luthor was being heralded as a prophet - that he had foreseen the alien menace for what it truly was, long before everyone else had. Luthor had never been blinded by the public aliens with their good looks and amazing powers. The Alien Amnesty Act was thrown out. Aliens were being rounded up and incarcerated without trials or any type of due process.   
   
It was horrible.   
   
Any attempt at putting a positive spin on any extraterrestrial by the media caused rioting. Journalists that had made their livings based around the superheroes and their exploits were blacklisted; entire news programs and solicitations were gone faster than thought possible. The Daily Planet’s circulation tanked overnight. CatCo Worldwide Media stock was at an all-time low.   
   
Every Federal, State and Local Government agencies were given a hard line against anything other than apprehending every alien they could find. It was a witch-hunt not seen since the Japanese Camps from the nineteen forties. Suspected aliens and their sympathizers finished overnight; some fleeing, but most were arrested and taken before they had gotten the chance. It was only due to J’onn’s telepathy that gave Kara the opportunity to escape, though the desert facility had fallen... Director Lucy Lane has been executed - shot - when she’d tried to bar the military from entering the prison slash base.   
   
It was only luck that Kara didn’t fall along with her cousin and his crew. Kal had retreated to the Fortress, which ended up being too obvious a choice. Sure, it had been cloaked, but Lex was a genius beyond every expectation: he dropped Kryptonite (stolen from his sister’s created stash and formula) laced bombs that fell over the entire Arctic region. His fortress fell... killing everyone inside, Kal included.   
   
She couldn’t even get close to rescue the bodies or any of the technology that might have survived. Luthor and the Government were already there, scavenging like the buzzards they were.   
   
Mother Nature then decided to add her aid to her native denizens, as the weather shifted and the kryptonite irradiated air and snow was pulled southwards, driving Kara towards the Equator and its regions. Eliza fell sick not long after relocating along with her daughters... it was the blow that got the few remaining; Kara and Alex, J’onn, Vasquez and Brainy. So many of the others were already gone - due to dying, incarceration or joining the other side. This Earth was lost to them.   
   
After news reached Alex that Maggie had died in a prison riot, where she had been just another alien sympathizer, had been when the final decision to use Cisco’s portal had been finally decided upon.  It had seemed the perfect escape, but that the schematics had been left in the D.E.O.’s servers, which Lex Luthor currently had and already was prepared for such an escape attempt - meaning that they were walking into a trap.   
   
The attempted breach had been redirected into a Kryptonite laced prison; they would have been finished, but that J’onn gave his life to hold the portal open, expelling his great strength to force the trans-dimensional gateway towards a new destination. It worked, but the last son of Mars was forever gone... and they were transported to an Earth they didn’t know.   
   
And, of course, a portal immediately opened behind them with their own world chasing after them. Supergirl and her ragtag band of fugitives dove through another breach of their own making, duplicating the process for nearly an hour... and through countless realities. So many Earths. They even backtracked through a few portals to start laying false trails. It was exhausting.   
   
They lost Vasquez in a world inhabited completely by shrimp. Shrimp!  Apparently, Susan was deathly allergic. She had fallen before a new portal could even be opened.   
   
Brainy left them voluntarily after they came upon a world that was completely computerized. The green skinned man from the future claimed it was so much like his own home world that he would be welcomed and kept safe. He refused to leave after they opened the portal to move onwards.   
   
Eventually, the Danvers sisters reached this world, Earth One Fifty-nine. They decided to rest... their currency even matched to buy food and other necessities. This reality, after an hour of looking around, Alex determined that this Earth was extremely close to Earth One, their original destination. They only noticeable reason they felt it wasn’t actually Earth One was due to the fact that there was already a superhero presence here, but the date was two thousand and six... three years before the first sighting of the vigilante that would become known as the Green Arrow.   
   
They were in Atlanta, Georgia. The weather was nice and they were easily able to get lost in the city. They spent a month there, considering staying, when explosions went off all around them. So used to their Earth’s authorities refusing to give up the chase, Alex activated the portal generator for their escape when the improbable occurred; a piece of shrapnel struck the hand Alex was using to activate the gateway. The device sparked a deep violet and then Alex was gone, the portal closed.   
   
Kara has screamed after her sister, almost instantaneously arriving at the spot where she had last stood... hoping for a residual spark of energy to take her after her sister, but it wasn’t to be; Alex was gone.   
   
And in the unholiest of cursed luck, the explosions had nothing to do with their Earth chasing after them. A local super villain (of all things!) was robbing a bank. Kara watched as a blue flying bug shaped ship flew overhead and three heroes in brightly colored costumes took down the bad guy, quips and jokes thrown around throughout the entire encounter before they left the poor wannabe super villain tied up and in the hands of the Atlanta Police Department.   
   
It was all surreal.   
   
Kara was alone. Everything and everyone was gone. Alex had held on to all of their possessions so that she could protect them both, unencumbered... and now she had nothing.  She sped away as fast as she could until she hit a beach facing an ocean (such one she didn’t care) and sat upon the damp sand and cried.   
   
It took days – four to be exact - before she would stop, but stop she did. She was ultimately Kara Zor-El, the last child of Krypton, and she would find her sister one day. This, she swore to Rao. And to do that, it was time to take ahold of her own destiny once again.   
   
(( Author’s note – completed to here by 11-03-2018 ))  
   
       TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS   
   
>   
Earth 159  
September 2009  
>   
   
The bell above the door jingled, signifying that there was a potential customer. Kara took a moment to set down the piece she was currently considering restoring and reached for the rag she kept close at hand to wipe then as clean as she could. Stepping through the curtain that acted as the barrier between the show slash business floor and the ‘employees only’ part of the building, Kara was not surprised to see David Hyde, her closest business rival, once again making his unwelcome presence known.   
   
“Davey. Hi.” He hated the familiar use of his name. “What brings you by?  Need me and mine to recover a salvage for you again?  Is that Civil War ship giving you trouble?  I’d give you a friend and family discount.”  
   
She could hear his teeth grinding. When she’d first started trying to gain some capital to live in, Kara had searched the ocean in front of her (it ended up being the Atlantic. She’d run all the way from Atlanta to Jacksonville, Florida) and found a sunken ship with some gold. Not a lot of gold, but enough to get her started. It turned out that Hyde, Inc. had been in the process of trying to secure salvage rights. She’d swooped in just before he’d received the lock on the wreck, meaning he got the ship, but Kara was free and clear on the treasure she’d acquired.   
   
That an unknown person had, in a fraction of the time and money (ha!) that Davey had spent, had stolen the goods created an immediate hatred and rivalry. It only got worse when Kara had liked the idea of making money from lost treasures and started her own salvage business.   
   
With her first haul, she’d spent quite a bit creating a new persona. And so, Karen “Kara” Eldee Starr was born. Eldee for the House of El and Dee in honor of the Danvers name. A driver’s license from a fake birth certificate and stolen social security number and a loan from the local bank that had taken the remaining gold and jewels as collateral, and Starr Shine Salvage and Sales was born.   
   
It had taken a year or so for S4 to take off financially, but with Kara and the sales and office crew (that she hired to man the store while she did the recovery) they had made a name for themselves for those looking to hire. And during the off times where she wasn’t working for someone else, she was busy marking the locations she found locally where treasure could be found... and there was a lot to be found.   
   
“No. I’m not here to hire you, Miss Starr.” He continuously wipes his hands together. A nervous tick, she figured. “I’m here to once again tender an offer to buy you out. If you wil...”  
   
“Starr Shine’s not for sale.” Kara tried to keep the exasperation out of her voice. “I get that you don’t like the competition.”  
   
“Competition.” He sputtered.   
   
“And the fact that over the past six months, I’ve taken two of your regular clients and successfully found and recovered their claims in less than half the time you took at your best recovery for them... well, I get it. But I’m not for hire. And Starr Shine isn’t anything without me.”  
   
He tried to interject her speaking, but Kara kept going. “Sure, acquiring S4 would give you our current stock which you could sell and, if you marked it up high enough, would offset having to spend as much as it would take for me to even entertain an offer, but it’s not for sale and I’m not looking for a new job. Or even my current job under someone I don’t like giving me orders and signing my paycheck.”  
   
“Now see here.”  
   
“The answer is no, Davey. Sorry, but not sorry.”  
   
“You’ll regret this, mark my words.”  
   
Any response she might have offered was lost as the bell above the door chose then to jingle once again. Kara smiled as Lisa, her front desk salesgirl, makes her way into the shop with several sandwiches from the deli across the street.   
   
“Miss Morel.” Mister Hyde offers briskly as he brushes past the girl to make his way out the door.   
   
“Another offer?”  
   
Kara nods as she reaches out for the sandwiches. “Yup. Though I never really gave him a chance to make it to the money this time. He just irks me.”  
   
“Can’t imagine why.”  
   
“Shush you. You’re on my list. You left me here alone and I had to deal with that jerk face.”  
   
“Better you than me, boss.” Lisa smiles wickedly before taking a bite from her tuna fish.  
   
“You’re fired.” Kara offers before biting into her double club.   
   
“Okay, boss.”  
   
How Kara had taken on the Cat Grant position of constantly firing her assistant, only for said assistant to agree but still show up the next day was beyond her.     
   
One of the first things Kara had done was to start looking up all of the heroes and their secret identities that she could think of to see if they were available, or if they even existed on an Earth that was populated with Meta humans already. Them and their supporting friends and family.   
   
The Danvers weren’t the same. At all. Jeremiah was still a scientist, but he never met Superman. There was no Superman to ask for help learning about his powers. And that meant there was never a reason to bring in Eliza Young to meet the supposed love of her life. Without them together, no Alex. In fact, Jeremiah was twice divorced with no children of his own. Eliza married a lawyer and had three children; all boys, though one was named Alexander. Maybe it was best that her Alex wasn’t here in any form.  
   
Cat Grant was a young, divorced mother of a two-year old Carter. No Adam here. But that might have been due to Cat being a news anchor for CNN News based out of New York City, this reality’s Metropolis. Her once rival, Lois Lane worked for the New York Times - and was single, but still a Pulitzer Prize winner... for an expose on the second Green Lantern in San Diego, California. 

Again, no Superman.   
   
A non-powered Barry was in Kansas City, Kansas... not Central City (sigh), working as a Crime Scene Investigator for the KCPD. It seemed that a lot of the cities and landmarks that Kara had been expecting were different. They were in the same place and looked about the same as far as buildings and other structures went, but just known as something else. Oliver was due to return to Starling City, well... Boston, Massachusetts here on this Earth, in about two months. And she hoped that a lot of what happened on Earth One happened here. But the current superhero landscape was so different that she was sure that there would be differences.   
   
Her research into how things went so cockeyed was fairly easy as it all seemed to be available as public record, but why things were different here she couldn’t really ever determine. It seemed that in nineteen forty-nine that a group of superheroes (some with powers, some without) stepped out of the shadows and began working with the United States Government out in the open rather than staying some dirty little secret. They called themselves the Justice Society of America.   
   
This Society of heroes captured the imagination of the American public, and very soon they were looked upon as the first superstars of the world. It was a later team of the Justice Society that had been there the day Alex vanished to another Earth.   
   
And then the first acknowledged alien hero made his presence known in the mid nineteen fifties. J’onn J’onzz - colloquially known as the Martian Manhunter- took to the skies over Los Angeles... Kara’s National City, with super strength, flight and was bulletproof. The entire world was enraptured. By the end of the fifties, another flying hero had appeared... the first Green Lantern.     
   
The obviousness of proof of life beyond the Earth led to the creation of the Department of Extraordinary Operations, this world’s D.E.O.  At least it was a public branch of the government, rather than the classified secret it had been previously. Kara was mildly upset to see the original Hank Henshaw in charge, but maybe he’d be different here. After all, the Luthor family here were philanthropists and pillars of society. Maybe Clark really had been the one to screw it all up in their world.   
   
The late seventies brought the second Green Lantern.  That’s not to say that there weren’t several others that filled the streets, both in the dark of night, as well as the brightness of day. There were plenty, but most weren’t the movers and shakers that were changing the course of history. No. The media kept up with them all in one way or another, but it was easy to see who needed watching.   
   
Green Lantern (the second one) was followed in nineteen eighty-four by Wonder Woman in San Francisco, California. She became the poster child for the hero movement whether she wanted it or not. A buxom and very beautiful Amazon in a skimpy costume colored in red, white and blue?  A no brainer, for sure.   
   
The last of the big Four (as Kara had found they were often referred as) was Captain Marvel at the beginning of the nineties in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was so much like Kal that Kara almost thought it was him, but after studying the Earth’s Mightiest Mortal, she was sure he was something completely different. And besides, his two miniature clone-like versions... Mary and Junior, that we’re suddenly all around him?  No, Captain Marvel was something else.   
   
She remembered Dr. Stein from the Legends telling her about the Justice Society and how they’d met them and pulled them into one of their adventures and that had effectively ended the Society. Maybe the time traveling group never met the Society in this universe. And maybe that small change created the difference for this Earth.   
   
Maybe.   
   
Kara wondered if her being here had caused the change.   
   
“So, whatcha working on right now?” Lisa brought Kara from her thoughts.   
   
“Before jerk face interrupted I was considering the mirror that we recovered last week. As is, it should fetch upwards on high five figures. But if we take the time to restore it, probably low six.”  
   
“Is the trouble worth it?”  
   
“Maybe.” Kara offered with a shrug. “Wear and tear on antiques is all the rage currently, but if underneath it revels something unique, like an artist mark or it’s a part of a set, then we miss out on a major find.”  
   
“Is that why Mister Hyde is chomping at the bit for our company?  Do we have something?”  
   
“Any thing’s possible. But trying to find what it is, if there’s anything at all, could cost us a bunch if it ends up being a wild goose chase.”  
   
“That sucks.”  
   
“It does indeed.”  
   
Kara used the last of the napkins to wipe her hands clean and then took the empty sandwich wrappers and cleared off the table. “I’m going to do a bit more research about some of the stuff we’ve pulled. Make some guesses about what he might be looking for.  You good out here?”  
   
Lisa looked affronted at the inquiry. “Of course.”  
   
“Good. Yell if you need anything.”  
   
“You always act like you’re so much older than me.”  
   
“Old soul versus your new one, I guess.” Kara laughingly retorted. She couldn’t necessarily explain that despite looking twenty-one or so she was actually somewhere over sixty to seventy years old if you counted the Phantom Zone.  
   
It took the rest of the week and nearly the entirety of the next for Kara to find what Davey was after. It couldn’t have just been the mirror she’d been working on, or even something already in the workshop slash warehouse in back of the S4 ship. Oh, no. Of course not. It was all about the salvage bid Starr Shine had successfully won a month back. It seemed that the suspected wreck (that Kara had already found - superpowers were so helpful) was thought to have been carrying artifacts associated with Hawkman from Egypt.   
   
And, of course, anything even remotely linked with metas or any other superhero was considered high bank.   
   
She kinda wished that she’d passed on the bid now that she knew more about what the whole deal was. When Kara had initially thrown her hat into the ring, so to speak, it had just been a joint venture between the Chicago Museum of Art and the Martha Wayne Foundation our of Newark, New Jersey. Wayne. She definitely should have looked at the name involved. She missed her Earth’s city names. Gotham sounded so much better than Newark.   
   
Well... considering that from everything she’d seen and researched since coming to this Earth, they didn’t need a Supergirl. And besides, for her to just pop up now and to become the most powerful person on the planet?  After hiding here through so many catastrophes that she could have prevented that this Earth’s heroes had struggled with... no. It was better to just stay hidden in the background and only offering the rare helping hand when it was safe to do so.   
   
Yeah. That’d be for the best.   
   
(( Author’s note – completed to here by 11-04-2018 ))  
   
       TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS   
   
>   
Earth 159  
January 2012  
>   
   
Well, it’s all over the news. It’s finally happened. It was a close thing in this timeline and within this reality. In fact, Kara wasn’t sure it was going to happen considering it was actually supposed have taken place two weeks ago instead of just yesterday. But finally, the Particle Accelerator has exploded. Doctor Wells... maybe Reverse Flash Thawn… is in a wheelchair. Barry Allen is in a coma. So many innocent people all around the STAR Labs location are either hurt or have vanished completely.   
   
Unlike Earth One, however, the superheroes of Earth One Hundred Fifty-nine jumped right into the cleanup and are investigating what happened and Kara can already see the changes as they are happening.   
   
Caitlin’s Ronnie Raymond has already been located and is getting the help he (and Doctor Stein) so desperately need. Caitlin deserves her marriage to happen and last this time around. Maybe that will help the transition into Killer Frost and becoming a hero herself something so much better than it originally was.   
   
And Cisco’s potential as a Meta human looks to maybe have been found, as well. This Earth’s had to deal with superheroes for over fifty years or so. Every major city has some type of Scientific Police Division... not just Metropolis and National City like from her Earth.  STAR Labs’ going up here wasn’t the first meta creation focal point of its type here, just so much bigger... so everybody kinda knew what to be looking for. It’s actually interesting, here on this Earth and to see the differences that what initially appeared to be minor changes could make such sweeping alterations.   
   
The D.E.O. here is not clandestine. It’s out and open and appears to do so much good, even under Henshaw’s control. The Department had been created in nineteen sixty-eight under President Kennedy after the United Nations’ investigative body working for International Court of Justice levied worldwide sanctions and admonishments against several countries, the United States included, that had meta-humans involved in the wars and skirmishes since World War Two.  Documentation and photographic evidence had definitively proven that the Korean War and the Vietnam War had been won in the U.S.’s favor due to extraordinary involvement.   
   
Specifically, several testimonials and firsthand accounts towards several of the enhanced Justice Society of America were brought forth that led towards reparations being demanded by the losing sides of these wars. Needless to say, the winners (i.e., the U.S. and its allies) refused. President Kennedy’s second term as leader of the free world ended in controversy and international cooperation at an all-time low. The D.E.O. was created to watch over and patrol the emerging superheroes.   
   
The biggest caveat that came from the Extraordinary Department’s charter was the Registration... that very List that Kara had been so fearful on her Earth. Here there was a list of each superhero, their specific abilities and their secret identity. It was so crazy. Everyone on The List was put through a series of tests and trials to determine that they were ready for the life that were about to take on and, if they passed, were Federally Deputized to act as lead and slash or support in all cases where other governmental agencies might be required to protect the public safety. 

If they didn’t pass, however, the Government exercised its ‘right’ to either continue a very heavy mentorship - see leashing them - or removing any external source of superpower, when possible. Case in point was involving Robert Reed and his discovery of a phone dial that could temporarily change him into a superhero. He ‘failed’ the Trials and the device was subsequently removed from his possession.  
   
And there were holdouts, of course. Vigilantes and others that worked from the shadows. Batman in Newark was the best example. His harsh actions versus the Mob, as well as the motley crew of insane lunatics that threatened so many in his city, was constantly being brought up within the media. Kara felt that she sorta fit the vigilante mold here as she refused to sign any List... not to mention everything she’d done had been in secret.   
   
Who needed to know that she’d prevented the major Gulf Coast oil spill back in twenty-ten... or stopping the destruction of Joplin, Missouri from the tornado a year later?  No one ever made any mention of superhero involvement; just luck in both instances as far as the world was concerned.  
   
And besides, ‘The’ Big Four... Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Captain Marvel and Green Lantern... they also were extremely reluctant to be a part of the Registration.  Several attempts had been made from various sectors to get them, one through all, to follow along with the Federal mandates and guidelines, but all were rebuffed at every turn. It seemed like because they were so much more powerful than all of the others combined, they got a free pass.   
   
Kara often hypothesized that the U.S. Government was too afraid of what could occur if the Four decided to exit being heroes across the West Coast. Too much of America’s classification as a world power came from the biggest metas on the planet choosing the United States as their home. In fact, considering how the U.S. held just a small percentage of the world’s population, it often seemed strange how the other countries had so few enhanced individuals. In fact, Kara had noted that only China, Germany and the United Kingdom really had anything more than the regular human hero variety. What was different here than everywhere else?  
   
But the particle accelerator went kabloom and now she’s just waiting for Barry to become the Flash, which now leads to a whole new set of timeline questions?  The Flash meeting Supergirl is two years away, but if Kara goes ahead and meets him, which might change her own timeline, except she’s pretty sure that this Earth isn’t her Barry’s.   
   
Or maybe her meeting Barry early and on his Earth led to the changes to history here.  No damage done.  
   
Right?  
   
Yeah, way too confusing.  
   
But, really, from all that she’d learned from hanging out with the heroes from Earth One during the various visits, Kara realized how this world had changed many drastic events that the people she was looking for help from might not be who she needed.  
   
Green Arrow… Oliver, well, he became the Green Arrow right away.  No dark vigilante.  No ‘you have failed this city’ this time around.  Ollie, while still way too serious, had become a good hero for Boston.  And while he had apparently signed the Registration, it didn’t hurt that Queen Consolidated was working with Palmer Technologies this time around… and earlier than previously... so funding the superhero lifestyle was easy enough to do.  
   
Not that everything was perfect for the Green Arrow, however.  One fallout was that Laurel Lance and Tommy Merlyn married instead of the Merlyn heir dying early in the Arrow’s career.  It was both heartbreaking and life affirming for Kara - having to witness Oliver Queen watch his first real love marry his best friend.  And to add another kick to the Green Arrow was that the next big change was that Oliver didn’t meet Felicity Smoak on time; meaning that she eventually left Queen Consolidated for a different venture, surprisingly enough with Wayne Technologies.  
   
Go figure.  
   
And in the few years that Kara had been on this Earth, it had been necessary to start making some changes of her own; to play it smarter.  She had to remember that there were a lot of really smart people out in this Earth… and she should know, since she’d probably interacted with their doppelgängers a time or two in her old life.  
   
Her employees at Starr Shine Salvage and Sales started to notice that Kara never seemed to age.  Sure, she would cut her hair and change her makeup around, but people weren’t stupid… and the idea of using glasses and a ponytail just didn’t appeal to her as it once had.  She had eventually allowed for providence to take a hand in what would come next… and fate definitely had a sense of humor.   
   
S4’s success over the years had definitely garnered some interest, especially after she had successfully recovered one of the JSA’s missing aircrafts lost in the Pacific Ocean nearly thirty years ago.  Since then, both Kara and her little salvage company had been fending off bids from some serious companies… all offers that the former assistant had declined until she decided to accept one, finally.  It was just her luck that the newly formed SL-Corp Global (the brainchild of newlyweds Jack and Lena Spheer-Luthor) made the best offer when she decided to sell.  
   
Taking a chance, Kara had allowed herself to be hired by SL-Corp Global as a consultant with an option to buy into the company via various stock options.  Both Lena and Jack had been pleasantly surprised at her interest, and soon the three of them were slowly changing the world one idea at a time.

Eventually, Kara decided that her friends deserved the truth...  
   
“Oh my god, Kara.” Jack sat back in his chair and made like he was about to unbuckle his pants right there in the restaurant.  “How do you stay so skinny and eat so much?  I’m going to hurl.  Just thinking about eating anything else is too much.”  
   
“You will not.” Lena shrieked and threw her napkin at her husband.  “I’ll divorce you and take the dogs if you keep this up.”  
   
“You won’t do it.  Barney and Fred would miss me and howl all night long. Besides. you love me too much.”

“Eh.”

Jack laughed. “You wouldn’t boot me to the curb, my love.”  
   
“Sure I will.” Lena grinned mischievously over towards Kara.  “You know both Kara and Lex will help me, don’t you know.  Kara’s my bestie and my brother never liked you after he caught you sneaking out of my room that Spring Break.”  
   
“Oooh.  Good times.”  
   
Kara couldn’t help but laugh at the two of them.  They were so ridiculously in love that it was almost enough to put her off of food.  Well, food later.  This Death by Chocolate cake that she’d ordered was too good to waste.  
   
“I’m calling Lex right now.”  
   
Kara placed her hand over Lena’s in order to prevent the other woman from actually calling her brother.  She liked Lex (a very unusual fact that even now made her want to have her head examined) quite a bit, but Lena was bound and determined to set Kara and her brother up together and turn their threesome into the perfect family foursome.  A world of no that Kara couldn’t rightfully explain, although tonight was going to be her revelation of possessing superpowers.   
   
“Let’s let you poor brother alone for a night, Lee.” Kara laughed. “He can help you save your dogs from Jack tomorrow.  When there’s daylight.  And less alcohol involved.”  
   
“Hear, hear.” Jack raised his empty beer mug in the air.  “Listen to blondie.”  
   
“Sure.  Listen to blondie.” Kara deadpanned.  She stuck the last of the cake into her mouth, her lips almost refusing to let the fork go… knowing she’d miss the chocolate once it was gone.  
   
“Fine.” Lena put her L-Phone back into her bag.  “If I’m not kicking this poor excuse of masculinity out of the house tonight, why don’t we get to the reason we’re all here.”  
   
“We needed a reason other than its Wednesday?”  
   
Taking a deep breath, Kara set the fork down and properly wiped the napkin across her lips.  No time like now, she supposed.  “While being Wednesday is a perfectly acceptable reason, my dear Jack, I actually asked you out tonight to talk about a few things.”  
   
“If it’s that you’re a lesbian, we already figured that one out, love.”  
   
“Bisexual, actually, but I’ll take lesbian if it means Lee will stop playing matchmaker for me and her brother.”  
   
Lena blushed at being called out.  “Look, I think that the two of you would be great together.  You’re both too smart for your own good; you both are seriously hot… and if you ever tell Lex that I said he was hot, I’ll shoot you in your tit; and you both seem so lonely.”  
   
“Lena.”  
   
“No.  I get that you’re not interested.  Jack pointed it out that you look at women more than men.  Ages ago, actually.  And I kinda was throwing Lex at you to see how long it would take for you to break and admit you like girls.”  
   
Kara nodded.  “Makes sense, I suppose.  But that wasn’t what I wanted to talk to the two of you about.”  
   
“Oh, is it the ‘you’re an alien’ talk?” Lena offered.  
   
Okay.  Kara hadn’t been expecting that one.  She felt herself blink a few times while the brunette demurely sipped at her wine, her eyes sparkling.  
   
Jack was pounding the table in laughter.   
   
“Bu-wha-ma… how?”  
   
Lena preened a bit.  “Honestly, Kara.  You are horrible at keeping your abilities secret.”  
   
“I am not.”  
   
Lena rolled her eyes.  “You eat like an entire starving Fraternity.  You can lift more than any normal man I’ve ever seen… maybe more than some of the superheroes I’ve seen.  You are really fast.  You don’t seem to age, not to mention that your entire identity is fabricated.”  She paused.  “But the kicker is that you talk gibberish when you get sleepy.”  
   
She opened her purse and pulled out an old, folder up spiral notebook.  “And besides, your notes are in some language not from this Earth.  Alien.”  
   
“You’re not upset?”  
   
Jack leaned over the table and grabbed Kara’s hands.  “Love, we think you’re the best.  You’re our friend, Lena’s best friend ever, and you have brought joy and fun and laughter into our lives.  You had to be from another world.”  
   
Kara wiped at her eyes.  “I love you both.  So much.”  
   
Lena put her hand on top of Jack’s and hers.  “We love you, too.  And we have been waiting for you to tell us.  No guilt.  No admonishment.  This was a big one.  I’m sure that if the League or Society or any of the others got wind of you, they’d want to try and force you into something you don’t want.  I’m a Luthor and I’ve seen how these so-called heroes take advantage of Lex. They’d do worse to you.”  
   
“Spheer-Luthor, thank you very much.” Jack interjected.  
   
“Yeah.” Kara smiled.  “You are definitely that.”  
   
“So,” Lena almost seemed to begin vibrating. “You were going to tell us everything?”  
   
“Everything?”  
   
“Absolutely.” Lena smiled.  
   
“Okay.” Kara motioned to the waitress to bring another round of drinks.  “You asked for it.”  
   
It took the better part of three hours to get the main story out into the open.  At one point, Jack had flagged down the restaurant’s manger slash owner and offered him an obscene amount of money to stay open and continue serving the three of them.  He had balked at first, but as Jack continued to add more and more cash… well, they were still there, weren’t they?  
   
Kara was careful to leave certain parts out.  That she and Lena were friends stayed.  That together they had to kill Jack was out, as was her brother Lex being the most dangerous super villain of them all was avoided.  But she made sure to include so many of the good things, about their lunches and friendship and all of it.  Jack was surprised at the different names for cities, stating that such a change had to go further back than the possibility of Kara preventing the Justice Society from scattering to protect a holy artifact.  
   
When they had finally decided to head home for the night, Lena and Jack had pulled their reality misplaced friend into the cab between them, refusing to let her go away alone.  
   
“We can find your sister.” Lena offered in a whisper.  “We’ll get Lex involved.  He’s owed a few favors from some of the Society.  Plus, he has connections with Queen and STAR Labs, Palmer and Wayne Technologies.  We can bring in the big brains.”  
   
“You’re smarter than all of them, Lee.” Kara whispered back.  
   
“Yeah, but don’t tell the boys that.  It makes them feel all insignificant and stuff. It’s because of their dangly bits, you know.”  
   
Giggling, Kara leaned into her best friend.  “I know, right?”  
   
“And besides,” Lena smiled wickedly. “Don’t think I didn’t catch you expounding on someone else in your life retelling besides your sister.  I can’t wait to try and set you up with their version on this Earth.”  
   
“No, Lee.  They have a life here.” Kara argued.  “They don’t need me.”  
   
“Oh, honey.  They do.  They just don’t know it yet.”  
   
The next morning, Jack was up before the sun, per usual.  Kara would like to think the best of him - that he forgot that she was sleeping on their couch, but there was no way that he could actually make so much noise every morning and that Lena would marry him anyway.  His making breakfast was sweet, but she could murder him in less time than it took to blink and be back asleep before the pillow had time to lose its warmth.  
“Jack!  Really?!?  Is all that noise needed?”  
   
At her tone of voice, the man in question stepped out of the kitchen doorway, clad only in Kermit the Frog boxers and a mostly open terrycloth robe that had definitely seen better days.  “Oh, you’re up.”  
   
“Obviously.”  
   
“Great.” He smiled as he continued stirring whatever he had in the bowl in his grasp.  ”After Lee and I went to bed last night, we realized you left a few things out.  Important things.”  
   
Going back to sleep was definitely off the table.  Jack wouldn’t let anything go once he had his teeth into something.  “Like what?”  
   
“Well, like Lena explained what she thought about why you were an alien, but you never confirmed anything.”  
   
“What things?”  
   
“Well, you’re strong.”  
   
“Yeah.  So?”  
   
“How strong?” Jack asked.  
   
“You want a rundown of my powers?” Kara considered how to answer.  While she wasn’t hiding anything from them anymore, sometimes the truth could be a bit overwhelming.  She decided to try a little discretion.  
   
“Please. I’m dying to know.” He glanced at the bowl he was stirring. “And Lee and I might’ve made a bet or two. I need to pay her back for making me sing that dinosaur song for her ringtone.”

“Who do you think currently is the strongest?”  
   
“Captain Marvel.” Jack responded while Lena’s voice answered from behind where Kara was sitting. “Wonder Woman.”  
   
Kara shrugged and raised her hand over her head.  “Me.”  
   
“Really?” Lena asked as she walked further into the room. She, at least, was in her silk pajamas set with matching robe.  
   
She nodded.  “Currently, I’m the fastest, as well, though that should be changing soon.”  
   
“Like how fast is fast?” Jack asked.  
   
Kara smiled and stood up. Letting the blanket fall to the living room floor.  “One.  Two.”  In a burst of super speed, Kara had cleaned her face, brushed her hair and gotten dressed.  “Three.”  
   
“Holy sheets!” Jack cried in alarm, dropping the bowl.  Kara zoomed over and caught the bowl and was back sitting on the couch carefully stirring the eggy mixture with a wooden spoon she had taken from the kitchen.  
   
“How?” Lena’s face was priceless.  
   
“I’m a regular Justice Society team all on my own.” Kara smiled impishly.  “I can shoot lasers from my eyes; freezing breath, flight, invulnerability, speed and strength.  Pretty much the whole gambit, I guess.”  
   
“You guess?”  
   
She smiled at Jack.  “I told you. They called me Supergirl.  It wasn’t just because I was cute in a skirt and cape.”  
   
“I’d like pictures of that.” Jack smiled cheekily.  His smiled dropped when Lena smacked the back of his head, mumbling ‘moron’ under her breath.  
   
“And you had to run away from your Earth?” Lena asked Kara.  
   
“There was nothing left for me there.”  
   
Lena hugged Kara as hard as she could.  “Well, I’m glad you are here.  I couldn’t stand not having you as my best friend.”  
   
“I love you, too, Lee.”  
   
“And we’ll find your sister.  I promise.”  
   
“Okay.”  
   
       TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS   
   
>   
Earth 159  
December 2014  
>   
   
Life continued on.   
   
True to their word, Jack and Lena went straight into the Research and Development Department of SL-Corp Global with the mother of all challenges: to find a way to breach the walls between the universes that made up the multiverse.  Lena’s brother, Lex, when he heard of their ambitious goal, immediately brought his own team at LexCorp into the project.  Nothing was necessarily kept secret, but the theories and technologies considered were groundbreaking and no one wanted to share outside of their little coterie until they had to.  
   
It wasn’t until nearly two years later that word got out about the work SL-Corp and LexCorp were spearheading.   
   
First, that the Reverse Flash had been masquerading as Doctor Harrison Wells was uncovered by the new hero of Kansas City, the Flash… which meant that Lena and Kara could finally bring Cisco Ramone from STAR Labs on board (Lena hated to learn that someone other than her had come up with cross-dimensional technology before her, different Earth or not, and was determined to discover the breakthrough prior to anyone else.  Kara tried explaining that Cisco had a leg up on creating it due to his powers being already able to create portals between universes.  Lena was not placated in the least.).  
   
Next, Wayne Technologies and Kord Industries forced their way into trying to come up with the tech, each using their Federal Government contracts and exclusivities to demand a seat at the table – an action that had this Earth’s Lex Luthor almost revert to the version she was used to dealing with on Earth Thirty-eight.  Kara had gone to her best friend’s brother and revealed her true self to the man.  The show of trust was such that the CEO of LexCorp had laughed and offered her a job doing whatever she wanted.  
   
Lena, again, had not been amused.  At all.  
   
But while revealing the truth to Lex had been the right thing to do, it created a new problem that Kara had not really considered.  Industrial espionage was rampant over the multiverse technology – so much so that Lex’s office had been bugged by no less than six interested parties, only half of which was not governmentally associated.  
   
The D.E.O. now knew that Kara Starr wasn’t who she claimed to be, but was rather quite possibly the most powerful being on the planet… and that meant everyone now wanted a piece of the young woman that had been hailed as the Maiden of Might, the Last Daughter of Krypton, the Girl of Steel on her own Earth.  
   
And the Justice Society was first to approach.  
   
“Kara?”  
   
Cassie, Kara’s assistant at SL-Corp Global called through the intercom.  It had to be somewhat important, seeing as she had requested not to be disturbed while going through the notes Jack’s team had provided regarding the Nano-bots he wanted to use to stop diseases, namely cancer.  
   
“Yes, Cassie?”  
   
“I’m sorry to disturb you, but Lena called down from the eighteenth floor.  She asked if you could join her in conference room three as soon as possible.”  
   
“She say what’s up?”  
   
“No, ma’am.  Just that as quick as you could make it.”  
   
“All tight, Cass.  Let her know I’m on my way.”  
   
She liked Cassie.  It was a shame she worked for the Titans out of New York City.  Kara really hoped that allowing the superhero to act as a spy on her wasn’t going to come back and bite her on the butt.  
   
Kara made use of the private elevator that Lena had insisted upon that connected her, Kara’s and Jack’s offices.  Early on, they had realized that to work effectively, each of them needed to be on a different floor than the other two, otherwise no work would ever get done.  Kara and Jack, especially, loved trying to play childish pranks against one another… and Lena indubitably always got caught in the middle.  So, offices on different floors, but all connected by a small elevator.  
   
Bypassing Jack’s office on seventeen, Kara went straight to the eighteenth floor and stepped out of the back section of Lena’s office, which was empty.  Using her x-ray vision, Kara took a quick look over towards the conference rooms to get an idea of what might be up.  
   
Superheroes had come to play, apparently.  
   
Hourman, Blue Beetle and Liberty Belle were all standing against the back wall of conference room three, while Lena Spheer-Luthor sat in one of the chairs, appearing as calm as you please, across from the members of the Justice Society.  All were quiet, though Kara spotted a carafe of coffee laid out on the boardroom table.  That Lena wasn’t drinking the coffee already meant that she wasn’t really happy about this interruption to their day.  
   
Kara offered a polite smile as she entered the room.  She nodded to each of the guests before she quickly poured both her and Lena a cup of coffee first, before turning to their visitors.  “Would any of you care for a cup?”  
   
Blue Beetle… or Ted Kord, as Kara could discern using her x-ray vision, politely declined for the three of them.  Kara glanced at the other two heroes, but whoever they were, she couldn’t recall having seen their faces before, though she thought that maybe she’d met Hourman somewhere previously.  
   
“No, thank you.” The blue costumed hero spoke.  He had a nice voice.  Calm.  Collected.  “We are here, Miss Starr, to discuss the fact that you are an unregistered Meta.  The United States Government requires all Metas to be on the List.”  
   
“That’s actually not correct, Mister Kord.” Kara rebutted.  Her use of Blue Beetle’s real name immediately put all three on alert.  Good.  “I’ve gone over the guidelines and strictures of the Registration.  To be required to be on the List, one had to be involving themselves as a superhero.  I am not.”  
   
“Not what?  A Meta?”  
   
Kara rolled her eyes at Hourman.  “No.  I’m actually not a Meta.  But what I was referring to is that I am not actively pursuing any super heroics at this time.  No hero-ing, no Registering.”  
   
“That’s absurd.”  
   
Kara was about to answer, when Blue Beetle cut everyone off.  “How do you know who I am?”  
   
Lena snorted into her cup of coffee.  “You thought the List was secure?”  
   
She had to hand it to her best friend.  Lena had no clue that the current CEO of Kord Industries was actually the Blue Beetle before Kara had said it just a few moments ago, but she sure knew how to run with the information while keeping her poker face clear.  
   
“Of course it’s secure.”  Hourman exclaimed.  Liberty Belle was silent.  Kara decided that she must have been brought along as a show of equality.  Go, women power!  
   
“And you want Kara to just sign up on your word?” Lena laughed.  “Not bloody likely.”  
   
“Bloody?  Really, Lee?” Kara couldn’t help but laugh.  Jack would absolutely die when Kara told him that Lee had used the British expletive.  
   
“Shut up.”  
   
“Okay.” Blue Beetle tried to regain control.  “Listen, we are here as duly appointed representatives of the Government.  We wanted to offer a friendly reminder that you need to Register and get on the List, otherwise someone is going to want to bring you in.  Charges could be brought up.”  
   
“How about I’ll consider Registering when you get the Four to sign.  Okay?” Kara offered sweetly.  
   
“You think you’re in the Four’s league, little girl?” Hourman chuckled darkly.  “I doubt I’d need the full hour to have you at the D.E.O. and begging to sign the List.”  
   
Kara’s gaze focused on the fairly well-muscled costumed hero.  She studied him, considering, when the answer came to her.  His power was chemically based.  He took drugs to become Meta, but only for a short while.  An hour.  How crazy to name yourself after your greatest weakness.   
   
“Take it.” Kara offered.  “Whatever you ingest to be a superhero.  Take it and try.  Let’s see how well you do.”  
   
Her words were cold.  She knew they were.  And the fact that Liberty Belle and Blue Beetle were suddenly on guard meant that her threat had them spooked now.  
   
“I think we may have gone about this all wrong.” The female member of the Justice Society offered.  “This really was just about maybe seeing if you were interested in the Hero Trials and then maybe considering joining one of the teams.”  
   
“Joining?”  
   
“Yeah.” She continued.  “The JSA doesn’t have any opening currently, but I know the Titans is a good place for a young newbie.  Or the Outsiders.  They always seem to be looking for new members.”  
   
Kara was about to respond, but Lena’s laughter brought her up short.  Leave it to her bestie to possibly make the situation worse.  
   
“Lee.” She tried.  “Stop laughing.  It’s fine.”  
   
“Newbie.” Lena sputtered through the laughing.   
   
Kara just shook her head and sipped at her now cool coffee.  Deciding to be a bit flamboyant, the former Girl of Steel stared at the brown liquid until it obviously began to get hot… steam was rising and the aroma of burning coffee filled the air.  All three of the Society members were now gawking at her.  
   
“Thanks for the offer, but I’m good.” She smiled as she sipped at her drink.  
   
“But…” Blue Beetle seemed surprised that she had turned them down.  Unused to being on the losing side, apparently.  
   
“Well, this has been real.” Kara stood and used her free hand gesture towards the door.  “We’ll have to get together again soon.  I’ll have my people call your people.  We’ll make a plan.  Do it right, you know?”  
   
“Do what right?” Liberty Belle asked.  
   
Kara shrugged.  “No idea, really.  Just it’d have to be better than this, right?  Maybe all go for drinks and compare powers and backstories.  Secret identities and times saving the world.  Sounds fun, maybe?”  
   
“Uhm.  Sure.” Blue Beetle offered, sounding confused.  
   
“Bye, Teddy.” Kara smiled.   
   
Lena waved at the man that had blocked her acquisition of Lord Technologies back when Maxwell Lord had been convicted of a few nefarious plots against some of the more outlandish superheroes.  “Can’t wait until the next Chamber of Commerce Meeting.”  
   
The look of horror on the millionaire’s face, what they could see around the mask, was enough to make both women grin like it was free chocolate mochas at Jitter’s all day today.  
   
Jack turned the corner headed towards them just as Jess, Lena’s long suffering assistant led the three superheroes to the elevator.  Lena’s husband looked like one of his Jack Russell’s had just died when he realized that he’d missed all of the fun.  
   
“Are they gone?  Already?” He whined.  “I was on a call with Palmer.  He wouldn’t shut up about his idea for compacted space.”  
   
“Invest, if he’s looking.” Kara offered.  “His end result is amazing.”  
   
“Well… okay.”  
   
“Kara.” Lena’s face was still smiling.  “Did you really just out Ted Kord as the Blue Beetle, current chairman of the Justice Society of America?”  
   
“Oops.”  
   
“Wait.” Jack spoke up. “What?  Kord is Blue Beetle.”  
   
The blonde nodded.  “And Hourman is a drug addict.  He’s hooked on some type of opioid or some other chemical that enhances him into superhero levels.  Definitely not safe.”

“And Liberty Belle?”

Kara glanced at Lena. “Not really sure. Definitely cute, but maybe a bit too much of a wallflower for me.”

Lena wagged her finger back and forth. “Nuh-uh. Don’t go there. Jack and I almost have your meeting with you-know-who ready.”

“Voldemort?”  
   
“I miss all the good stuff.” Jack sat down, despondent.  “You couldn’t have waited for me?”  
   
“Sorry, Jack.”  “Sorry, Honey.”  Lena and Kara looked at one another and burst into laughter, having to reach out and hold the other up.  
   
Jack scowled.  “I hate you both.”   
   
       TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS   
   
>   
Earth 159  
June 2015  
>   
   
“So… what was I like on your Earth?”  
   
At the older woman’s question, Kara shifted the pillows around the bed so that they both could look at one another without either of them straining.  She knew that this type of inquiry was bound to come up sooner or later, the once superhero sorta wished it wasn’t yet time.  
   
“You, Cat Grant, were amazing no matter what Earth I found you in.”  
   
The blonde media personality smiled as she kissed Kara’s nose.  “And you are avoiding the question.  I’ve been an investigative journalist for too long to fall for the compliment slash avoidance tactic.  Really, Kara.  I want to know.”  
   
The sweat still cooling across her naked torso, the Kryptonian considered carefully what she could say.  Should say.  
   
“You were older for some reason.”  
   
“Older?”  
   
“Yeah.  I think you were around fifty or so.  Your eldest son, Adam…”  
   
“I had a son before Carter?  Adam, you said?”  At Kara’s nod, Cat became quiet.  “I almost named Carter Adam, but it never really fit.  He came so quietly into the world that he made me think that being named for the first man God created didn’t fit. My Carter would be smarter than to accept some strange fruit from a pretty face.”  
   
Kara grinned at the story.  “Adam was twenty-five.  And Carter was thirteen.  I think you had Adam when you were in your twenties, so….”  
   
“Oh my god.  I ‘was’ old.  And you still wanted me?”  
   
Kara smiled as she looked deeply into her lover’s eyes.  “Cat, you were my world, though it was never like this.  You were my mentor and my rock.  It was never to this point, though a girl could dream.”  
   
“Ugh.  And I’m not just a younger model that you missed out on?” Cat’s voice held a hint of desperation; of not measuring up.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  
   
“No, Cat.  Never.” Kara hugged the smaller woman against her. “The Cat Grant of my Earth was something to behold, but she wasn’t for me.  Not then.  She was the Queen of All Media.”  
   
“What?” Cat laughed.  “Queen?” Kara smiled at hearing the sound.  
   
“Your empire, CatCo Worldwide Media.  You were the biggest thing in media, bar none.  You owned the National City Tribune and built an entire network around your talk show and the news programs you created.  CatCo Magazine was the pinnacle of fashion and monthly topics across all formats.  Radio, television… even pay-per-view.  Everyone knew your name.”  
   
“As they should.” Cat sniffed, sounding so much like the Earth Thirty-eight version that Kara had to bite her lip.  “And that I’m not all that here?  Just a thirty-one year old reporter on T.V. that makes politicians and smarmy businessmen cry?”  
   
“I idolized the other Cat.  It’s true.” Kara took a deep breath.  “But I’m in love with the Cat here with me now.”  
   
“Love?”  
   
“Oh, yes.  You and Carter are what I want to be a part of my life every day.  I want to go to sleep knowing that the two of you are in my home, with you in my bed and Carter down the hall, safe in his room.”  
   
“You’re not about to propose right now, are you?” Cat snarked, but Kara could glimpse the wetness in the corners of her eyes.  
   
“Not yet.  It’s only been a few months of us dating.  I only just officially met Carter two weeks ago.”  
   
“Six months is more than a few.”  
   
“It is.” Kara smiled.  “But you needed to get over the fact that your next big exclusive story was about to become your exclusive girlfriend.  And that she was a dimensional traveler….”  
   
“That knew me on another Earth.”  
   
Kara nodded.  “Yes.  That knew a version of you before.  And had superpowers….”  
   
“Because you’re an alien.”  
   
“Oh em gee, Cat.” Kara let out a breath of air.  “Yes.  Alien.  Superpowers.  Most powerful woman in the universe, maybe.  All of it.  Completely in love with you, multi billionaire or simply a well off news anchor.  I don’t care.”  
   
“I love you, too.” Cat offered.  
   
“You do?”  
“How could I not?”  Cat rolled on top of her.  “Besides being absolutely breathtaking to look at, you are too sweet to be real.  You light up every room you walk into.  You’re funny, intelligent…”  
   
“Loaded.”  
   
Cat smiled.  “Being one third of the ruling management team of SL-Corp Global and bringing in some serious money is definitely nice, as well.”  
   
“I’m the rich one now.”  
   
Cat rolled her eyes and then leaned down and kissed Kara.  “You accept Carter.  From the beginning, you knew he came first and that didn’t drive you away.  How could I not love you, Miss Starr.”  
   
“Cat…”  
   
“And when you do ask me to marry you, sometime down the road?”  
   
“Yes?”  
   
“With a tastefully classic diamond ring in your hand,” Cat smiled.  “Expect the answer to be yes.”  
   
Having been told that one of her greatest dreams, one she never thought might be possible, was just waiting on her to find the right time?  It was going to be much later before either one of them would make it out of this bed.  Carter waking up for Saturday Morning Cartoons was what it ultimately took to convince either blonde to come up for air at all.  
   
After an extremely unhealthy breakfast of chocolate chip waffles and scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese (it had to be bad for them since Cat had disapproval written across her face throughout the meal), Kara took Cat and Carter to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the Met Collection.  It was such a beautiful day, that when the traffic ground to a standstill due to some weekend event happening in the city, the three of them got out and walked.  
   
New York City was such a contradiction to Kara’s perception.  It had all the earmarks of being this Earth’s version of Metropolis, but so much of the futuristic landscape and architecture was missing.  The buildings seemed just like they could belong in any other city.  Kara found herself missing the towering spires, as well as the turning globe that should sit atop the Daily Planet.  She would have been sad, but Carter Grant was dancing between her and his mother, talking about the latest Captain Marvel action figure he wanted to buy.  Kara wondered if this Carter would one day be playing with some type of Supergirl figure.  
   
But that was a thought for another day since she had Cat’s hand holding onto her own, their weekend in full swing.  
   
Shadows zooming overhead, momentarily blocking the sun, brought theirs and everyone else on the streets attention to the skies above.  Alien-looking ships, three at her initial count) were zigzagging around the tall buildings overhead, while an orange skinned girl flew after them, several other costumed teenagers in pursuit.  
   
“The Titans!” Carter called out at seeing the heroes live and in person.  
   
“Carter!” Cat yelled out for her son.  The boy glanced back at Kara and his mother, but he seemed too enraptured by the appearance of his toys brought to life, that he didn’t listen.  Cat moved to intercept Carter’s rash decision to chase after the super-powered teenagers way up high and out of reach. Her girlfriend had just gotten her hand around Carter’s shirt when Kara realized that the alien crafts had circled around and were headed back their way.  
   
“Cat.” Kara called quietly.  It worked, because the soft but insistent use of Cat’s name brought the shorter woman’s gaze to hers.  “Stay close, okay?”  
   
The CNN reporter nodded.  Kara realized that while Cat was told about all that she could do, had even seen some of what Kara was capable of, that the woman had never experienced the level of power and protection that she could offer.  But even with the chance of not fully understanding, Cat trusted her to keep them safe.  Kara would not fail.  
   
Taking a moment to pull her L-Phone out from her back pocket, she dialed her best friend’s number from memory.  
   
“Kara?  Why are you calling?  Is everything okay?” Lena answered after just one ring.  
   
“Lee.  Turn on the news.  Check New York City.  What’s going on?”  
   
“Hold on.” Kara listened as Lena apparently was getting out of bed and turning the television and computers on.  “Okay.  Hold on.”  Kara listened as Lena woke Jack up… apparently they were having a lazy Saturday in bed.  
   
“Lee.”  
   
“Sorry.  Jack’s on the Super Spotter App and I’ve got the Hero Helper website open.  Uhm… looks like reports of three alien space crafts that entered air traffic lanes over NYC and caused an almost plane crash over the Hudson River.  Team JSA got to the plane and the Titans are trying to catch the UFO’s.”  
   
“Other than the crash, I can see everything else.”  
   
“See every…?” Lena gasped.  “They’re near the Metropolitan!  Your date with Cat and her son.”  
   
“Yeah.”  
   
“What are you going to do?  What can Jack and I do?”  
   
“Get the lawyers ready for taking on the Registration, if it comes to that.”  
   
Lena’s voice was calming.  Kara was, frankly, not ready.  “You got it.  Take care of them.  And yourself, as well.”  
   
“Will do, Lee.  Talk later. Love.”  
   
“Love you, too.  Jack says kick their arses.”  
   
Cat had Carter safely in her arms as Kara disconnected the call.  Offering an encouraging smile to her girlfriend, she drew them closer and rubbed Carter’s back in support.  “Lena says that this is pretty much it.  Just lucky to see it, I guess.”  
   
As she spoke, sirens started going off in the distance, although maybe only a few blocks away, at most.  Cat grimaced at the sound.  “What should we do?  I doubt we can get a cab right now.”  
   
“No.  Not likely.  The Museum is only about four more blocks.  Let me carry Carter and we’ll probably miss all of this.”  
   
Cat nodded.  “Hey, Carter.  Will you let Kara carry you?”  
   
“I can walk.” The almost ten year old said with an adorable pout to his lip.  “I’m not a baby, Mom.”  
   
“I know, dear.  I’m just worried.”  Cat sighed.  “I just need you to listen.  Okay?”  
   
“Okay, Mom.”  
   
“I mean it, Carter.  This might get dangerous.”  
   
“I promise.”  
   
Cat studied her son, their eyes locked, before she finally nodded and turned to look up at Kara.  “Okay.  What do we do?”  
   
Kara smiled and took Cat’s hand, interlacing their fingers.  “Now?  We go to the museum.”  
   
As so the three set off again on their original path.  Cat determinedly refused to look up into the skies to witness the aerial battle that seemed likely to never end.  She was keeping it together by avoidance alone, which might have worked but that her son was constantly staring wide-eyed at the events overhead.  
   
Kara considered the fact that she at the very beginning had been better than these supposedly trained heroes were currently as yet another black mark against the Registration and List they were determined for her to be a part of.  
   
(( Author’s note – completed to here by 11-05-2018 ))  
   
Jack had decided early on after learning all that Kara could do to take the fight on the offensive rather than the defensive.  They were right; having extraordinary abilities wasn’t reason enough to sign the Registration and be forced onto the List.  You had to actively pursue attempting to be a Superhero for the listed guidelines to come into effect.  Kara was not a costume wearing hero.  She was a citizen (illegally, maybe) and had rights.  
   
The three had to stop all progress along with all of the rest of the gawkers and worried pedestrians as rubble from the battle above was creating some seriously dangerous situations for those on the street below.   Kara was getting angry… but more than that, she could see that her girlfriend was getting scared; and while Carter, so far, seemed into it, he was maybe just a bit too star struck to understand.  
   
“Hold tight, Cat.”  
   
Kara shifted Carter into her left arm as Cat quickly seemed to get Kara’s plan and looped her arms around the taller woman’s neck.  “Slowly, please.”  
   
At the News Anchor’s plea, Kara nodded and smiled at Carter who was currently trying to squirm out of her grasp.  “Up, up and away, buddy?” And then Kara carefully rose into the air and away from where the people on the street realized something new might be happening.  
   
“Whoa.  Kara.  You can fly.” Carter laughed. “Are you secretly Wonder Woman?”  
   
Even Cat grinned.   
   
“Nope.  I’m someone brand new.” Kara carefully flew them over to the top of the building that was away from the shenanigans the superheroes and alien joyriders were enjoying – none apparently taking the time to care about the people they should be protecting.  
   
Once her girlfriend and her son were safely on the roof and away from the battle, Cat quickly hugged her.  “Be safe.  Come back to us.”  
   
“I’m never leaving you, Cat.” Kara smiled into the kiss.  “Let me make my grand debut.  Sorry you don’t have your camera.”  
   
“I’ll get the interview from you later.”  
   
Smiling, Kara ruffled Carter’s hair and reminded him to listen to his mother.  She adored the look of admiration in his eyes.  His Mom might’ve just gained some major cool points, dating a superhero.  She’d have to make them both proud.  
   
“See you.” Kara offered before she shot off into the sky.  She missed not having her cape, but she’d been flying long enough that it was only a minor inconvenience compared to when she’d first started.  
   
Well, her girlfriend was about to become this Earth’s version of Lois Lane.   
   
Lena had made good on her threat, having listened to Kara wax poetic over Cat Grant from Earth Thirty-eight and how she was the person she might just miss the most after her sister.  She’d never had the chance to see how Cat had faired with President Luthor and the entire Federal Government’s hunting and exterminating of Aliens.  She prayed to Rao that she and both of her sons had escaped the worst of it.  Leaving Miss Grant was almost as bad as losing Alex.  
   
But Jack and Lena had contacted the feisty blonde journalist and had vetted her, confirming that she was exactly who she portrayed herself to be on this Earth – a strong advocate for truth, justice and the rights of everyone, despite class or race or gender or even planet of origin.  Cat Grant had been courted by SL-Corp Global (without Kara’s knowledge) to be brought in on the ground floor of stories that would shake the world.  
   
The very first of which was leaking their own secret… that the multiverse theory was true.  Grant had jumped in a plane and had left New York City for SL-Corp Global’s home base city of Atlanta, Georgia at the word ‘exclusive’.  The interviews with Lena, Jack and (oh, yes) Kara – both independently and as a group – took place over the course of three days.  She and Kara had hit it off, almost immediately, and with only the barest of encouragement, Cat had stayed the weekend, as well.  
   
That Carter was safe and cared for with his grandmother, Katherine Grant, had thrilled Kara to no end, but couldn’t yet explain the reasoning for her giddiness to the other woman.  But Cat and Kara had taken the time to get to know one another, enjoying the newness of the potential for something great, they both thought quietly to themselves.  
   
It was on the Sunday evening of Cat’s rebooked flight home and back to reality that Kara had promised her the larger story… her story… even if Cat chose for their weekend to be all that it was.  After Cat’s tearing Kara apart for thinking that she was the type of person to ‘top them and drop them’ as Kara had implied, she had kissed the displaced dimensional traveler and told her she’d call when she landed in New York City… and that they would be having several serious conversations, by phone and on L-Chat, in the coming weeks.  Kara’s smile went all the way into work the next day.  Lena was smug even for her.  Jack said his wife was almost unbearable to live with.  Kara had just shrugged and sipped at her coffee as they made plans.  
   
That had been just over six months ago.  Cat’s CNN exclusive over the major joint venture of SL-Corp Global (always listed first) and LexCorp, along with Palmer, Kord and Wayne, set the business world on fire.  And then when the possibility of multiverse technology getting the science side of things involved, the science community were now foaming at the mouth to get in on the newest undiscovered region to explore… Cat Grant was at the top of the media world.  A queen, almost.  
   
It had taken several conversations with Cat and Lena and Jack to decide to allow Cat to interview her as the alien superhero she had been, from another Earth completely.  There was a lot of fear that with Kara revealing herself, the D.E.O. and the other superheroes would attempt to force her into their mold of being something special, their way and not Kara’s.  
   
Lena had laughed so hard at what Kara had considered a legitimate fear that the blonde almost left the room in tears; until her best friend had explained that between Kara’s amazing abilities that were so far beyond any other hero, not to mention the millions and billions of dollars that through the Luthor’s, as well as Kara’s own fortune, no one could make her do anything she didn’t want to do.  Cat had agreed, wholeheartedly, and soon Kara Starr was giving her life story to Cat Grant.  
   
The exclusive that was set to debut in five days… one of just the many reasons that Cat had Kara spending the weekend at hers and Carter’s Manhattan Apartment.  But, like so many events in Kara’s life, it seemed like it was time now to reveal herself to the people of Earth One Hundred Fifty-nine.  
   
In those few moments Kara had spent safely carrying her loves to the rooftop, returning to the scene of the chaos only made her even angrier.  People on the streets below were dodging debris and laser beams and whatever else the heroes and villains were throwing at one another.  The orange girl from before was throwing pulses of green energy that matched her eyes, while a Hot Topic reject in a purple hood and cloak was telekinetically tossing cars (thankfully empty) towards the alien ships high above.  
   
Oliver’s sister, dressed as Speedy, was firing arrows that kept missing the space crafts, but were causing miniature explosions wherever they hit.  There was even some cyborg like kid that reminded her somewhat of Hank Henshaw from Earth Thirty-eight with the red glowing eye and massive strength.  
   
But it was that these… kids.  Not superheroes, but teenagers. They were throwing funny quips back and forth at one another; actually laughing at the dangerous situation they were putting the public in.  
   
Kara had had enough.  
   
Seeing one of the space crafts attempting to make a sharp turn around the building a block away, Kara shot off (faster than a speeding bullet!) and stopped the ship mid turn.  There was no give.  No relief.  The front of the alien ship’s nose crumpled at the sudden stop.  Kara’s hand held tightly, twisting the extraterrestrial alloy like tissue paper, as she used her x-ray vision to see the panicking Exorians (from her initial guess) at being caught.  The little Goth hero stared at Kara, eyes wide with wonder.  Kara dropped the ship hard on the empty street below and looked at the purple costumed girl.  
   
“Stay.”  She commanded.  Kara didn’t wait to see if her order was followed.  She knew it would be… or else.  
   
The blonde superhero took just a few moments more to catch the other two space crafts and putting their broken carcasses down next to the first.  
   
Kara landed hard, the asphalt of the street cracking outwards from where her Alexander McQueen custom leather boots rested.  Casually watching the children playing at being heroes stood there, nervous, she turned to stare at the ships… smoke drifting upwards from their ruined star engines.  
   
In Exorianese, Kara called out for the ‘invaders’ to get out of their ships or she would break them open and pull their crews out by their ears.  All three doors to the space crafts opened immediately after Kara’s demand.  In all, eleven Exorians stepped out into the open to face Kara for their crimes. Strange that it was an odd number. She ignored the purple monkey.  
   
“Wow.” The orange skinned girl whispered to the cyborg.  
   
Turning her gaze to the teenagers, she glared so hard she was amazed her heat vision didn’t roast them on the spot.  “I’ll deal with you next.”  Speedy looked like she was going to respond, but the orange girl shushed her quickly.  Smart.  
   
Turning back to the Exorians, Kara was about to start in on them when the superhero cavalry decided to finally make their late appearance.  First, that weird bug looking ship that had to belong to Kord hovered over where Kara and her prisoners were all sitting, before finally landing a few hundred yards away at a street intersection.  Kara noted that with setting down where they did, the bug ship tore several power lines and other necessary cables from where they had been placed.  
   
Morons, the lot of them all.  Kara reflected that on Earth Thirty-eight that both J’onn and Miss Grant had often expounded on the cost of repairing damages caused during superhero battles. So much so that Kara as Supergirl had started trying to make a concerted effort to get those intent on causing destruction away from the city and the populated areas of National City.  
   
“Don’t move.” Kara told the aliens before she went to speak with the Justice Society.  A look was all it took for the teenagers, these so-called Titans, to stay still, as well.  
   
“Miss Starr.” Liberty Belle acknowledged as she was first out of the bug ship.  Following behind her were Vixen (although not the one she remembered from meeting the Legends) and a staff carrying steampunk dressed kid, goggles included, and Blue Beetle.   
   
“Liberty Belle.” Kara nodded.   
   
“We’ll take it from here.” Ted Kord smiled.  Kara did not.  
   
“Really?  After I took the time to stop them? You just sweep in and do what?”  
   
“Miss Starr…”  
   
“Do you even know who you’re dealing with?”  
   
Blue Beetle looked past Kara’s shoulder, taking in the scene.  “Seems some aliens decided to mess with our city.”  
   
“Yes.” Kara gritted her teeth.  From the corner of her eye, she watched as Cat and Carter had approached the confrontation along with many of the other people that had been caught within the battle zone. Cat was filming using her L-Phone.  “Aliens.  Do you know from where?”  
   
“Well…”  
   
“Or what they can do?  How to contain them?”  
   
Liberty Belle tried to rescue her teammate. “We’ve got the Martian Manhunter on his way.  Green Lantern is coming, too.”  
   
Just great.  
   
“Well, I’m happy for you.  In the meantime, are you prepared to deal with the Exorians?”  
   
“The who?” Kord asked.   
   
Pinching her nose, Kara took a deep breath.  “Those aliens over there?  The Exorians?  You do know to keep the siblings away from one another, right?”  
   
Vixen shrugged and looked at the other Society members.  “I’m assuming that’s bad.”  
   
Kara was about to lose her cool when the sky above was filled with a deep green light, announcing the arrival of the Space Cop.  Kara took not a small amount of pleasure at watching the Lantern do a double take at seeing Cat Grant at the scene.  Her expose into the many failures of Hal Jordan before taking up the mantle of this section of the galaxy’s supposed protector role had cost him a lot of political sway.  He was just lucky that his bosses were on another planet.  
   
An emerald dome covered the Exorians while he landed.  The Green Lantern immediately disregarded Kara as inconsequential and moved to speak with the Justice Society members and the Titans who apparently felt that since their adults had arrived, that it was safe to move.  All of them avoided Kara by several yards.  
   
Kara winked over at Cat.  Her girlfriend slash news anchor was going to have the scoop of the century with the way today was playing out.  Kara was just happy to see Carter was smiling and enjoying himself; she had been worried that with all of this taking pace now that he would be unhappy.  Kara really needed for Carter to like her.  He and his mother were too important to Kara to not be in her life.  Not after finding them again.  
   
“Excuse me.”  Kara turned to see the Green Lantern had approached.  
   
“Yes?”  
   
He smiled what was supposed to be a charming smile.  It was wasted on Kara.  “I understand that ‘you’ apprehended the Exorians?”  
   
At his tone, Kara knew that Cat was going to get more than either had bargained for.  “Right.  So?  Is there a reward or something?  The Teen Titans over there couldn’t do it and, frankly, people were going to get hurt.”  
   
“Miss Starr, right?”  
   
“And you’re Mister Jordan.”  At his real name, the Green Lantern grimaced.  “You and Ted Kord over there are friends?”  
   
“You seem fairly well informed, Miss Starr.”  
   
“I am.  Information is power.”  
   
The self-proclaimed emerald knight nodded as he drew himself up.  “One kind.  There are all sorts of powers that you should be wary of.”  
   
Kara laughed.  “I have those, as well.  Would you like to ask your Ring about it?”  
   
That she knew that his Ring was sentient floored him.  Kara watched as his eyes narrowed and he considered how much of a threat she actually might be.  
   
“Ring.” He said softly.  “Analyze and report.”  Kara stood still as she was suddenly bathed in an emerald glow.   
   
“Analysis complete.” The voice from the Ring reminded her of her mother’s A.I.  Cold and distant.  “Anomaly: Kryptonian.  Anomaly: age unknown.  Anomaly: power level unknown. Guardian Priority Notification – zero, zero, zero, four.  Notification sent: now.”  
   
“A Kryptonian?”  The Green Lantern seemed stunned.  “Krypton was destroyed by New Genesis and Apocalypse nearly four centuries ago.  You can’t be here.”  
   
The information was definitely something new.  Kara had sought out her home planet using her super sight, as well as the best telescopes currently on the planet.  She found Rao.  She even found Daxam, whole, but her home world was not there, almost as if it had never been there at all.  Seems there was a reason for that.  
   
“Well, I am.”  
   
“You definitely need to meet with the D.E.O.  You have to Register for the List.”  
   
“The List you refused to sign?” Kara asked.   
   
“Listen, Miss Starr, but I can make you.”  
   
“You can try.  You will fail.”  
   
Apparently the other heroes had been listening in to their conversation, as almost all of the Society members and the Titans took on more aggressive stances.  Kara idly glanced around, unimpressed.   
   
“Lantern?” J’onn J’onzz’s deep baritone voice suddenly was there.  The Martian Manhunter had arrived.  Kara considered that with his arrival did the group have a chance at apprehending her, though it would be close… and only then due to the fact that Kara really had no wish to hurt her unofficial adoptive father, the Martian, but Kara wasn’t going to Register or be on any silly List without the SL-Corp Global legal team going through the damnable thing with an electron microscope.  
   
“Hey, Double Em.”  
   
“What seems to be the problem?”  
   
Green Lantern’s eyes never left Kara.  “I’m looking at a Kryptonian that just apprehended eleven Exorians while schooling two Registered superhero teams; and said Kryptonian refuses to Register for the List; and finally, has made some aggressive statements towards me.”  
   
“And us, too.” Blue Beetle called out.  
   
“A Kryptonian?  Truly?” J’onn said.  “And her power level?  From the Martian Chronicles, I don’t remember any mention of their race bearing any particular abilities, although a treaty between Darkseid and All-Father to destroy their planet would make for a compelling case as to her being dangerous.”  
   
“She flies.” The ex-Hot Topic employee offered.  “And is really strong, too.”  
   
The crowd around them was becoming antsy.  Many seemed to realize that their superheroes were looking to apprehend Kara, who had actually saved them, as opposed to congratulating her for doing their jobs.  A lot of people had begun jeering and booing the superheroes, a sound that the heroes here were not used hearing.  Public opinion was a major concern for those that fell into the spotlight… credibility could be lost.  
   
The squeal of sirens approaching added to the cacophony of the situation.  They really didn’t have a reason to hold Kara other than that she had used her powers in full view of everyone around, though her being dressed in a knitted oversized sweater and tight denim jeans stood in stark contrast to the garishly colored costumes the others were wearing.  
   
“The D.E.O. has been called, Gee El.” Speedy spoke to the Green Lantern, who from the looks of things, was still seriously debating taking Kara into his custody.  “Want us to stick around?”  
   
“No.” Jordan finally replied  
   
Kara just grinned.  Turning away from the intergalactic police officer, she nodded as she passed her once boss.  “J’onn.” Gaining his attention, Kara smiled softly.  “If you want to talk soon, I’ve got plenty of Oreos and milk at my office at SL-Corp Global.”  
   
The look on the Martian Manhunter’s face was priceless. Kara floated a few inches above the ground and moved over to where Cat and Carter were both smiling at her.  Setting down, she knelt in front of Carter.  
   
“I think the museum is out, buddy.  What say we grab a pizza and head back to your place for a movie marathon?  Sound good?”  
   
“Yeah.” The nine year old cheered.  He grabbed both Kara’s and his mother’s hands.  “Let’s go.  Okay, Mom?”  
   
The crowd parted for the three of them, many taking photographs with their phones… while others cheered or clapped.  It felt good to Kara to use her powers for the right reasons once again.  A look over to the gob-smacked superheroes showed that none of them were at all sure as to how they should react, so used to being the ones cheered rather than ignored… and that they were now trying to answer the questions of the local authorities, as well as have their responses straight for when the Federal Agencies wanted the truth should keep them all busy for a while.   
   
After walking about three blocks, Cat was finally able to flag down a taxicab.  Once the three of them were safely on their way back to Cat’s apartment, Carter looked over to his Mom’s new girlfriend.  “Why didn’t you fly us home?”  
   
Kara ignored the look their driver was now shooting her from the rearview mirror.  “Sorry, buddy.  Maybe another time.”  She ignored the look Cat was giving her now, too.  “We need to save those for special occasions. Right?”  
   
“But you stopped the aliens.  And talked to Green Lantern.” He protested.  You should join the Justice Society.”  
   
“No.” Kara smiled at Cat’s son.  “Being a superhero all the time might seem fun, at first, but I bet I’d have to miss all the really fun stuff.”  
   
“Like what?”  
   
“Well, your science project due next month.  What if I had to miss it to save a cat in a tree?  Or worse, a snake in a tree?”  
   
Carter laughed.  Cat was tearing up again.  “Or if your Mom and I had a date and I had to cancel at the last minute?”  
   
“Mom wouldn’t like that.”  
   
“No, I definitely would not.” Cat added as she poked her son in the side, making the young boy squirm and laugh some more.  
   
“So, you see, Buddy.” Kara regained his attention.  “I might help out when things get bad…”  
   
“Like today?”  
   
“Exactly like today.  They needed help and I was able to do that.”  
   
“But why were they upset with you?”  
   
Cat seemed to realize that she was getting into a tricky territory, especially for a boy Carter’s age, so Cat took over answering.  “Remember when Mommy had trouble at work?  Those stuffy over-privileged men that thought they knew how to do my job better than me?”  
   
“Uh-huh.”  
   
Cat nodded.  “Kara is better than they are.  Though you don’t know it, and the other superheroes don’t know it yet either, but Kara has been a superhero for a very long time.”  
   
Carter looked at Kara, his expression so very serious.  “I’m sorry they were mean to you.”  
   
Kara couldn’t help but hug Carter as best she could in the back of the taxi. “Oh, Carter.  Thank you.  That’s what I needed.”  
   
The cab had arrived in front of Cat’s building.  Kara let Cat and Carter out while she paid the cab driver.  
   
“You that girlie that stopped them bozos in the sky?”  
   
Kara nodded.  The driver waved off her trying to pay.  “Good for ya.  Ask for Freddie any time you or yours needs a ride.  I’m your guy.  Got it?”  
   
Touched, Kara forced the driver to take a tip at the very least.  “Thanks, Freddie.”  
   
“Keep doin’ good.”  
   
Stepping out from the back of the taxicab, Kara watched as the yellow vehicle drove off.  Maybe some version of Supergirl could do some good in this world, after all.  As she tucked Cat under her arm, allowing Carter to pull them both into the building, she and her girlfriend both laughed as her L-Phone began blasting Lena’s ringtone.  
   
“Hey, Lee.” She shared a glance with the smaller blonde.  “Did you like it?”  
   
       TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS 

>   
Earth 159  
October 2015  
>  
   
Barry… well, her Barry from Earth One, had often talked about the old fashioned values of Earth Two; about how the manner of dress reminded him of the old black and white television shows he used to watch on Nick-at-Nite.  Of how things were technologically advanced, but there was an old soul type of feel to the world.  Kara had always though that sounded kinda nice.  
   
Earth Thirty-eight, much like her Barry’s Earth One, was not like that.  By the time Kara had arrived, much of the joy of being a kid had vanished.  Eliza used to talk about Saturday morning cartoons instead of entire channels being dedicated to those types of shows.  She would talk about how children could play outside from dawn until dusk and there was never a thought of anything bad happening, except for the occasional scraped knee from a bicycle wreck or broken arm from falling out of a tree.  
   
Parents made cookies that every child in the neighborhood shared with one another.  One house having a pool meant everyone had a pool.  Doors in the suburbs were seldom locked and windows were left open during the summer months instead of air conditioners running all the time.  
   
The Earth that Kara found herself on was an interesting blend between Earth One and Earth Two.  While it wasn’t as open and carefree as the Earth Two stories Barry would tell her about, but things didn’t seem as cynical and dark as Earth One or even Earth Thirty-eight.  Kara’s decision on the matter was based around her helping Cat get Carter ready for Halloween.  
   
Unlike the twenty-first century on her Earth, the thirty-first of October was a kid’s dream for getting candy.  Accompanying her girlfriend to her mother’s house, a stately manor located within the North Hills subdivision in New York… all of the houses were decorated with spooky ghosts and black cats, orange lights along every porch.  Clusters of adults stood along street corners gossiping with one another as children in costumes danced from home to home, weighted down by the number of chocolates and other goodies that could be fitted into their decorated bags.  
   
Carter was dressed Archie, which left Cat and Kara in the roles of Betty and Veronica, respectfully.  Where her girlfriend had found the costumes that were so accurately designed to match the comic book characters, she had no clue, although she often considered the idea that Cat knew where the superheroes all got their outfits (not costumes, Green Arrow argued) designed and made.  She was also quite sure that Cat was just waiting for Kara to decide on becoming a superhero and letting Cat design the outfit.  She already had Kara’s name picked out: Power Girl.  
   
It had been an almost repeat discussion about the use of ‘girl’ instead of ‘woman’ with Kara losing again… but with Kara apparently still not aging, the girl appellation might actually fit better than the other, anyway.  
   
But for now, Kara was enjoying holding Cat’s hand under the corner street light while Cat carried on a conversation with a neighborhood mother; all three of them waiting for the kids to come down from the latest house to be hit with trick-or-treaters in search of sugar.  Kara idly was listening to Cat, choosing rather to sneak some of the candy Carter had left with them to guard… a folly he would never do again after seeing how much of his stash got eaten.  Cat had shared a bite of homemade fudge from the nice couple a block over, so Kara could share the blame with Carter’s mom.  
   
Cat tugging at her hand brought Kara out of her musings.  Turning to look at her girlfriend, she smiled to match the grin on the shorter woman’s face.  
   
“What?”  
   
“Seriously, Kara?” Cat bopped her on the nose with her finger.  “Leslie asked what your intentions for me were.  She says my mother is complaining that I’m giving the milk away for free,”  
   
Kara laughed.  “Your milk?  You’re a cow, now?  What did she compare you to last time?  Something red?”  
   
“A scarlet woman.” Cat laughed as did the other woman... Leslie.  “She’d just finished reading ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ with Carter.  Apparently, I’m a scarlet woman.”  
   
Turning to look at Leslie, Kara winked.  “Well, since I’m apparently dating a scarlet woman and getting the milk for free, why should I put a ring on it?”  
   
“Did you give it to her?  Kara!  You promised I could be there!” Carter was suddenly yelling at Kara. He was a ninja at sneaking up on her, super hearing be damned. “You were going to wait.”  
   
“Whoa, whoa, Buddy.” Kara tried to placate the little Archie, but Cat’s son was having none of it.   
   
“You promised.”  
   
Cat knelt down and hugged her very distraught son.  “Carter!  What are you talking about?”  
   
Kara looked heavenward as Carter sniffled.  “The ring Kara’s giving you. She said she wouldn’t give it to you unless I said it was okay and I said it was okay and she said that we’d wait until it was the perfect time and I missed it being the perfect time if she gave it to you.”  
   
Leslie thought the whole thing completely priceless as she had apparently figured out Carter’s ramblings before Cat did.  
   
“Gave me what?  Kara hasn’t given me anything.”  
   
“The ring, Mom.” Carter answered as if his mother was not all there.  “The one you say ‘yes’ to.”  
   
Cat looked at Kara from her position kneeling next to her son, eyes wide.  Kara rolled her eyes at them both, choosing to ignore Leslie’s quick idea to start recording the whole thing on video with her L-Phone.  
   
“We kinda need to swap positions, Cat.” Kara offered.  When Cat continued to just stare at her, Kara reached down and brought her girlfriend to her feet.  “I’m supposed to be kneeling.  Not you.”  
   
Cat stayed quiet, watching her, as Kara knelt down and mock whispered to Carter.  “You suck as a wingman, Buddy.  But we can do it now, okay?”  
   
Carter wiped at his eyes and nodded.  Kara nodded back and then reached into the backpack that currently held their supplies during their Halloween excursion.  As Kara’s hand pulled out the famously colored robin blue box, Cat gasped.  
   
“Betty.” Kara smirked.  “I know we’ve fought over Archie here for years, but I think that it’s you and me that should get together.  You’re amazing and beautiful and everything I’ve ever wanted to make my life complete.”  
   
The sounds all around seemed to go silent as the various costumed kids and their parents all realized that something special was happening.  Kara and Cat ignored it all.  
   
“So, Catherine “Betty” Grant… will you marry me?”  
   
Beautiful teardrops ran down Cat’s face as she allowed Kara to slide the diamond ring onto her finger.  She took the moment to realize that Kara had actually proposed.  
   
“Yes.”  
   
The cheers all around them was what it finally took to separate the two women from their kiss, with Carter yelling that he was getting a second mom.   
   
Leslie was crying, though not near as much as Cat and Kara both were. “I’m calling Katherine.  This’ll teach her to not come out with us all.  If she wants to see the video, she’ll be baking me her famous pumpkin pie.”  
   
“I want a copy of that.” Cat asked between kissing Kara and Carter, who was now in Kara’s arms.  Her fiancé’s arms.  
   
“Of course, Cat.” Leslie grinned as she started typing on her L-Phone. “Though I wonder how much I could get for it.  Acting CEO of SL-Corp Global proposing to Cat Grant while dressed as Betty and Veronica?  I’d be rich.”  
   
“You’re already rich, Les.” Cat retorted.  
   
“I could do for another beach house.  Maybe a small five bedroom in Hilton Head.”  
   
Kara smiled at the other woman.  “Georgia is my area.  I can get you a great deal.”  
   
Carter was all smiles, squished between his Mom and his future Mom.  “Where are we going to live?  Can we go to Atlanta?  I miss the Varsity.”  
   
“Food?” Cat exclaimed, laughter filling her voice. “You want to move because you want to eat at the Varsity again?”  At Carter’s nod, Cat smiled at Kara.  “I blame you for this.”  
   
Kara just hugged her family.  
   
She ignored the fact that Alex wasn’t here to celebrate with her.  Not yet.  
   
But soon.  
   
And while Doctor Leslie Thompkins didn’t actually sell the footage of the Halloween proposal, someone somewhere else did… and then the news was out that Cat Grant was engaged to the woman who was being called Power Girl.  
   
The Department of Extraordinary Operations had issued a warrant for the apprehension of Kara Starr after footage of her stopping the Exorians had hit the media.  Cat’s initial interview had been moved to a special Sunday edition slash episode of *Chatting with Cat* on CNN.  It was a ratings explosion where Kara, in her own words, gave her history and life story to the world instead of letting the Federal Government try and force her into training and examination by demanding those answers.   
   
Lena and Cat’s master plan had ripped the teeth out of the D.E.O.’s threat.  It also gave Kara a type of protection through the public; by being a type of celebrity and superhero for the public and not hiding who she was… it insulated her from the tricks the Society and other teams might attempt in their recruitment.  
   
It also helped that intermixed with footage from the previous day, Cat was able to add to the pre-recorded interview the name Power Girl… and that CNN would have the exclusive follow-up in the coming weeks.  
   
The world now knew that Karen “Kara” Eldee Starr was an alien from the doomed planet Krypton from a different Earth.  SL-Corp Global’s Legal Department then stepped in and made way for Kara to be legally considered an American citizen, owing only a few thousands of dollars in fines for her time as an illegal alien upon U.S. shores.  It didn’t hurt that between Kara’s debut and the Government’s final decision in allowing Kara citizenship that the Green Lantern had tried to take her into Lantern Corp custody and off world.   
   
       TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS   
   
<  
Earth 159  
July 2015 – Flashback  
<  
   
Kara was pissed.  This was not how she wanted her day to go.  
   
She’d been at a barbecue enjoying the summer day.  Carter was splashing in the water of Jack and Lena’s pool, while Jack and Lex were arguing over the proper way to man the grill.  Lois Lane was there as Lex’s date (ignore the shivering spine over that), as was her sister, Lucy, and her husband, James Olsen.  Lena was in the pool with Carter engaged in a splash war, while Cat was sunbathing in the skimpiest bikini Kara had ever seen.  
   
Even Jack had commented on the lack of material in relation to skin Cat was showing… which was why he was sporting a Kara hand-sized bruise on his upper right arm.  His grilling arm, he complained.  She didn’t care and Lena had just laughed at her husband.  
   
There had been a lot of friends and older acquaintances that had been invited, though it being so close to the Fourth of July that many had to beg off their invitation.  None of them minded, really.  It was just a chance to unwind and have a good time.  
   
Kara, herself, had been a little more modest in her choice of swimwear, though if Cat was willing to play then Kara would step up her game the next time.  Currently, Kara was sporting a white one piece that, while fairly modest, did offer a peep show cut out of her cleavage, which had definitely caught her girlfriend’s eye.  She was sitting on one of the deck chairs with a red towel between her and the metal seat… not that the temperature would bother the Kryptonian, but if she got up and someone else sat down, they could get burned.   
   
Laughter filled the air until the sky took a heavy green tint.  The entire party was encased within a large, green bubble connected to the Ring currently resting with the right hand fist of the Green Lantern flying above them.  
   
“By Order of Intergalactic Law as deemed by the Guardians of the Universe and as their duly appointed Official of Section Two Eight One Four, I hereby place you, Karen Eldee Strarr, under my custody to face charges…”  
   
“By whose authority?” Lena interrupted.  
   
“As I said, by the Guardians of…”  
   
Lex stepped forward, his bearing that of his most challenging from the days Kara remembered from Earth Thirty-eight.  That he was on her side here warmed her in a way that she really couldn’t understand.  If she hadn’t already been in love with Cat Grant, she might’ve taken Lena up on her offer to set the two of them up.  
   
“Yes, yes.  Guardians of the Universe.”  
   
“That’s right.”  
   
“And they have provide extradition paperwork to the proper Earth authorities, yes?”  
   
Green Lantern faulted slightly.  “Well, not at…”  
   
“And you have the documentation here and now for Miss Starr’s attorney and proper legal representation to read, yes”  
   
“This is an intergalactic matter, Mister Luthor.”  
   
“Of course it is.” Lex smiled.  It wasn’t a very nice smile.  “And she’s being taken in for what exactly?  Questioning?”  
   
“Her trial is…”  
   
“Oh. A trial…” Lex motioned to his aide, Mercy, who immediately opened her phone and began dialing. “At a neutral third party site, yes?”  
   
“On Oa.”  
   
“Oa?  That’s the Guardians’ home world, right?  Who brought the charges… I don’t even know the charges.” Lex glanced at Kara.  “Do you know what you’re being charged with?”  
   
Kara shook her head in the negative, both Carter and Cat were beside her, offering emotional support.  
   
“Right.” Lex turned back to the Green Lantern.  “And who brought these charges, as they are, against Miss Starr?”  
   
“The Guardians…”  
   
“Ah, yes.  The Guardians.  So, your bosses levy charges against Miss Starr… charges we aren’t even aware of… to be placed on trial where the Guardians rule and they get to decide her fate.  Is that about it?”  
   
“Mister Luthor.  Please.  You’ve been a friend and ally to the League and Society.  To all superheroes at one time or another.  I’d hate for that to come to an end.”  
   
“An end. Right.”  Lex turned his back on the Green Lantern and rolled his eyes.  “And they cannot understand why you, Miss Starr… Kara, are such a breath of fresh air.”  
   
And right then, Kara truly wondered if her cousin had been the reason Lex had gone bad on her Earth.  Kal had always been just a little bit holier-than-thou at times.  Could he have pulled this same type of crap on the Lex Luthor of Earth Thirty-eight?  Did Kal turn what could have been one of his greatest allies into his greatest enemy?  
   
“Mercy?”  Lex’s personal assistant nodded and he smiled.  
   
“Well, Green Lantern…”  
   
“Hal Jordan.” Kara offered.  
   
“Really?”  
   
“Yeah.” She nodded back.  
   
“So, Mister Jordan.  Or should it be Officer Jordan? No matter. While we’ve been conversing, I had my assistant, Miss Payne, speak with Governor Seigal of the Great State of Georgia, of which you are currently occupying the air space of, and requested an injunction and cease and desist order for your actions as a foreign officer on domestic soil.”  
   
“Now see here…”  
   
“Yes. Quite right.” Lex mocked back.  “Understand that you will be expected to attend the court case, within a month or so if I’m correct, and can then present your case with evidence to support the Guardians’ claim, I’m sure.”  
   
“We are leaving now.” The Green Lantern started firmly.   
   
Lex smiled.  “Of course.  I would like to say, for the record, that you have no warrant which means you are trespassing on private property.  Too, you are not able to provide Miss Starr with any type of documentation that she is to be placed within your custody.  And before you wave that silly ring about and create some fake writ, the State of Georgia currently does not support your office, meaning any document – forged or real – would not be upheld.”  
   
Lex took a breath.  “Also, the grounds here are under surveillance at all times.  This entire interaction from the moment you arrived and will continue well past your leaving, empty handed I’m sure, will be provided as evidence on Miss Starr’s part against you in any future dealings with you, your office or your Guardians.  Are we clear?”  
   
The Green Lantern continued to float there, visibly getting more and more upset as the minutes passed by.  He nodded just once and then started to rise.  Kara had thought Lex had gotten through to the space policeman, when suddenly his green bands of energy swirled around her and yanked her into the sky after him.  
   
Kara had been lucky to be as fast as was, pushing Cat and Carter away from her as to not have either of them caught up in this emerald prison.  From below, she could hear Cat and Lois consoling Carter, while Lex, Lena and Jack had all immediately started making calls.  Mercy and James were filming her unlawful apprehension.  Mister Jordan was one superhero that was going to be out of the hero work… forever.  
   
Kara pulled at the braided rope that the towel could use as a belt and draped it over her shoulder, giving it the look of a short red cape.  She was going to fight the Green Lantern while dressed in a white bathing suit and a makeshift red cape.  Winn’s geek fest fantasy come to life.  She was kinda sad he was going to miss it.  
   
Kara flexed.  The emerald bands holding her tried to withstand her escape, but even the most powerful of science and magic couldn’t withstand Kara’s strength… and with them both up in the sky with the July sun basking her in its glow, Kara knew she was nigh unstoppable at the moment.  
   
As the green chains broke, Hal turned and started throwing green bolts of energy at her.  “Give up, Kryptonian.  You are going to Oa whether you want to or not.”  
   
“I will not.” Kara threw in a bit of super speed and was now behind the Green Lantern.  In his moment of confusion, Kara clipped the back of his head with her left hand, lightly as to not kill him out right.   
   
He bounced away from her.  His power ring must have been smarter than he was, as it created a force field like shell around him.  Kara watched as his eyes narrowed.  “So be it.”  
   
At his exclamation, a bubble of green energy encased Kara’s head, preventing her from getting any more oxygen.  Kara remained calm… she could go longer without needing another breath of air, but she would eventually need more.  She considered her heat vision, but on the off chance that it might reflect back at her was too great a risk.  Freeze breath was out, too, since that would deplete her remaining oxygen quicker.  
   
Remembering Alex often telling her that a great offense was better than just a good defense, Kara flew directly at the Green Lantern at nearly Mach One.  He had absolutely no chance of avoiding it, and was dependent solely on his ring to save his life.  His own concentration broken while he tried to right his now downward trajectory, the bubble around her head vanished.  
   
It was time to put an end to this.  
   
Just as Hal seemed to catch himself from continuing to plummet towards the ground, Kara caught up to him and grabbed his arm that the ring hand was attached to.  Kal had once told her that the Green Power Ring was based upon the will of the user.  Well, no one had more willpower to overcome every odd against her than Kara.  
   
“What are you doing?”  
   
“You aren’t worthy of the Ring.”  Wow.  That sounded like it belonged in Peter Jackson’s ‘Lord of the Rings’.  Didn’t make it less true, however.  
   
“The Guardians entrusted it to me.”   
   
“It’s time for an upgrade.” Kara closed her eyes.  In the distance she could hear the whirling of helicopter blades drawing closer, as well as various sirens far below.  She was sure that while most of them were the authorities, that the media had gotten wind of the situation somehow, i.e., Cat Grant, and was approaching as well. A story is a story.  
   
Opening her eyes, Kara watched as the green costume covering Hal Jordan was beginning to fade, leaving him in a standard white tee shirt and denim jeans, as the Power Ring was no longer snug on his finger.   
   
“I can’t lose.” He nearly begged.  If he hadn’t possibly endangered Cat or Carter, she might have been a bit more forgiving.  As it stood now, the Four were going to be Three.  
   
“You’ve already lost.”  
   
And with Kara’s words, the Green Power Ring left Hal Jordan’s hand completely.  Upon catching the alien device, she could hear it whispering the words of the Green Lantern office in her mind, though she ignored the words.  The Power Ring, sensing that she was rejecting it, fought to escape her grip, but she held tight.  It could be a gift for Lex.  
   
The fight was out of Hal.  He lay limp in her grasp, knowing that if she was to let go now, he’d fall to his death… something she would never do, but he didn’t know that.  Taking a moment to smile and wave at the approaching news helicopter, Kara darted down back towards the Spheer-Luthor home and back to her friends and family.  
   
The photo of Kara in the white bathing suit and makeshift red cape would cause the Internet to crash the next morning for over thirty-two minutes. A very wet white bathing suit.  
   
Cat had it made into a poster that sits in a place of prominence on her office wall.  Kara snuck in one night and autographed it for her., the only one in existence.  
    
       TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS TNAOKS 

>   
Earth 159  
February 2016  
>  
   
Cat threw her hands up in that air, apparently exasperated with the direction of their conversation. Kara’s feelings were hurt. Cat needed to explain this better. 

“I love you. Do not doubt me on that. We’ve bought a house together. In Smyrna, Georgia of all places. If that alone didn’t prove it, then...”

“Then why are postpo...”

“I want your sister there!” Cat yelled. 

“What?”

“Oh, my clueless alien idiot of a fiancé,” the blonde journalist’s voice was slowly calming down. “Lena is sure that we’re just a few weeks away from the portal generator going online.”

“I know, but...”

“Kara, my love. I’m going to marry you.” She smiled. “But there’s no rush. We live together. Carter already likes you more than me.”

“It’s the cookies.”

Cat nodded. “Yes, your bribing ‘our’ son with cookies has brought the little traitor over to you side for now. But we are not going any where. And I don’t want Alex to miss this. You shouldn’t have to make her miss your wedding day.”

Kara was hugging Cat, both ignoring the tears on each other’s faces. “I’m sorry, love.” The Kryptonian whispered. “You are so good to me. I’m sorry. I just kept hearing you avoiding setting a date.”

“Well, obviously your alien intellect leaves much to be desired.”

Kara laughed as she wiped the wetness from Cat’s cheeks. “Thank you for loving me.”

(( Author’s note – completed to here by 11-06-2018 ))

“It’s a chore... but you’re worth it.”

Luckily, the weekend seemed to stay more positive once Kara had given voice to her fear; it was a phobia – of being not good enough, to being left behind – that she had to deal with.  Not often, but enough that Cat and Lena and the other’s in her life had come to recognize.  It was a gulf that, while everyone was sympathetic, no one could truly understand the loss that the remarkable young looking woman was forced to bear.  How did one grasp the enormity of losing your entire planet… not just once, but twice?  
   
One of the main conversations that both Grants and Kara had to actually sit down and decide, however, had been brought up the night of their impromptu marriage proposal: where were they going to live?  Carter had joked about moving to Atlanta with Kara, but his life and Cat’s life were in New York.  It was ultimately decided that during Carter’s school year, the newly formed family would remain in Cat’s apartment… something that the journalist secretly didn’t want to give up… and the summer months and some holidays would be in the Atlanta metro area.  
   
Which meant that Kara and Cat and Carter, too, needed to find a home since Kara’s single bedroom loft in the Buckhead area would not support them.  It wasn’t the easiest of jobs, trying to find a new home that satisfied all of the criteria, but eventually they did… and it wasn’t too far from where Jack and Lena resided, making it as perfect as they could get.  
   
Today was an exception to the plan.  Carter was currently in school back in New York, while Cat and Kara were shopping for furniture and other necessities that the home required.  There were no available or easy flights to meet with Carter after he got out of class, so it looked like Cat would either sand Kara alone to care for their son and her follow along in the morning, or she’d have to be carried by the superhero the entire way… not something that Cat was particularly looking forward to.  
   
Kara had just ended the call with the delivery service for the living room furniture, when Cat walked in form the kitchen area.  “Has anyone called?”  
   
“Called?  Like who?”  
   
The shorter woman made her way over to the open moving box next to the front door and began rummaging through.  “It’s nearly eleven.  I can’t believe that no one has tried joining us today.”  
   
Shrugging her shoulders, Kara started breaking down the empty boxes that had already been emptied. “Well, Lena is picking up Lex from the airport.  You know how he hates driving in Atlanta traffic from the airport.  And Jack is holding down the fort at SLCG; the Bee Oh Dee had some questions regarding the Atlanta Constitution and Journal acquisition.”  
   
“They think it’s not worth it?”  
   
“No.  Just quibbling about investment options, I think.  Jack knows what they’re griping about so he’d be the one to ask.”  
   
“Okay.”  
   
“No one else is in town.  We’ll have more help finishing my move into the Manhattan apartment than the move of new stuff here.”  
   
“Lucky bastards.” Cat grumbled.  
   
“Hey, now.” Kara laughed as she crushed another empty box with her bare hands.  “This is our life.  Together.  No grumpy cats allowed.”  
   
“And the cat puns begin.” Cat pointed a finger at her fiancé.  “It would be a shame for you to be sleeping on the new couch the very first night its here.”  
   
She held up both her hands in surrender.  “You win.  No more puns.”  
   
“Good.  Remember that.”  
   
Kara’s phone decided to go off just as she had begun to approach the blonde reporter to steal a kiss.  Checking the touchscreen, she felt her eyebrows go high.  
   
“Hello.”  
   
“Kara?” Barry Allen’s voice came clear through the L-Phone.  
   
“Hey, Barry.  What’s up?”  
   
She’d finally made friends with the Barry Allen; a.k.a., the Flash, of this Earth.  He wasn’t exactly the same, different histories and all, but he was close enough that he and Kara had seemed to bond almost from their first meeting.  She felt somewhat bad, worried that her presence had changed so many things.  After the defeat of the Reverse Flash, Barry and his crew hadn’t had to deal with any really major big bad in a while.  
   
From what she could remember of Earth One, a dimensional hopping speedster had been the adversary against Team Flash, but with this Earth being so much altered than what it might have supposed to have been that Zoom never arrived.  Instead, the heroes of Kansas City were taking care of the ‘villains of the week’ and moving quickly towards their happily ever after: Iris and Eddie Thawne were married (since Joe West’s police partner hadn’t had to sacrifice himself to save the Scarlet Speedster) and Caitlin and Ronnie were happy together still, with Doctor Stein working alongside the others at the Kansas City branch of S.T.A.R. Labs trying to master the F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M. Project.   
   
Last Kara had heard, Barry was dating a cute police officer named Patty or Patricia or something similar.  
   
“So, we might have a situation happening over here.”  
   
Kara sighed and shook her head at Cat’s inquisitive look. “What kind of situation?”  
   
“We’re pretty sure that Cisco just created a dimensional portal.”  
   
“WHAT?!?” Kara screamed.   
   
“Yeah.” Barry coughed.  “So, Cisco was practicing his Vibe ability, seeing what would happen if he matched the frequency of my running, maybe to match it and…”  
   
“Get to the point, Barry.” Kara ordered.  Cat was now standing next to her, rubbing her back under the Def Leppard tee she was wearing.  “What did you do?”  
   
“See.  I didn’t do anything.  Cisco…”  
   
“Don’t throw this all on me, man.” She could hear Cisco arguing in the background.  “I’m not taking the rap for this.”  
   
“Tell Cisco to shut up.  Talk to me, Barry.”  
   
“I was going too fast.  Cisco couldn’t match my frequency and when he messed it up, some type of portal breach thing started happening.”  
   
“And then what?”  
   
“What do you mean ‘then what’?” Barry’s voice rose a bit higher.  “We’re standing here looking at it right now.”  
   
Kara closed her eyes and prayed to Rao for patience. “Barry.  You’re telling me that Cisco opened a stable breach while the two of you were playing superhero tag.  That’s what you’re telling me fight now?”  
   
“Well… I wouldn’t have used those exact words…”  
   
“Barry.”  
   
“Yeah.  That’s what I’m saying.  
   
Kara turned to look at her fiancé.  She almost burst into laughter at Cat’s flabbergasted face.  Just another day in the life of a superhero.  Cat mouthed “really?” at her.  Kara could only nod.

 “Okay, Barry.  Here’s what we’re gonna do.” She started to consider who to call first.  Cat left her side and nearly sprinted to where her L-Phone was sitting on the kitchen island that separated it from the dining room.  She listened as Cat started speaking with Lena.  
   
“Okay.” She started again.  “Cat’s calling Lena now.  I’m sure that she and the SL-Corp team will be wheels up within the hour.”  The reporter held up a thumb’s up sign.  “We’ll make sure that Wayne and Kord are called, but it’ll probably be Palmer and Queen that get there first.”  
   
“But.”  
   
“Barry.  This is important.” She tried to remain calm.  “I’m going to be there in about ten minutes after I hang up.”  
   
“Okay.  That sound’s good.”  
   
“Great.  Here’s the important part, Barry.  Who else is there with you?”  
   
“Me and Cisco.  Caitlin is downstairs in the lab.  I think Doctor Stein might be with her.”  
   
“That’s good.” Kara was walking through the house trying to find the outfit that Cat had custom designed for her.  It wasn’t really a superhero costume, per se, but more like a uniform that seemed for functional.  “Call down to them to get the KCPD Science Police down there as soon as they can.  We have no way of knowing where Cisco’s breach landed or who’s on the other side.”  
   
“Got it.” Barry answered.  “Should Cisco drop it if we see movement?”  
   
And there was the twenty-five thousand dollar question.  “That’s your call, Flash.”  She intentionally used his superhero name.  “I’d love for it to stay open, but the safety of the city and its citizens come first.  Could Cisco do it again?”  
   
Barry asked the question.  After some mumbling, Barry returned to her.  “He says that he should be able to.”   
   
“In that case, close it if there’s any movement.  We’ll get him to create another one under more controlled circumstances.  Deal?”  
   
“Deal.”  
   
“All right.  I’m going to hang up and then I’ll be there in about ten minutes.”  
   
“See you in a few.”  
   
Kara disconnected the call.  She turned to look at Cat, but the smaller woman was already handing her the gold and white uniform, along with its pockets full of the supplies that SL-Corp had thought to be included.  “Go.  I’ll call Lois to pick up Carter.”  
   
She kissed her fiancé.  “Thanks.”  
   
“I’ll call my director.  He’ll probably want me there, so I’ll catch up with you tomorrow.”  
   
“What about the delivery?”  
   
“I’ll handle it.  If you don’t leave now you won’t make it on time.”  
   
“We’re going to get me sister back, Cat.”  
   
Small hands reached up and wiped at Kara’s eyes.  “Yes we are.  And then, you and I have a date to set.”  
   
“I love you.” Kara said quickly before she spun into the Power Girl uniform and then shot out the door and into the western sky.  Even already a mile away, she heard as Cat slowly walked over and gently closed the door.  
   
“I love you, too.”  
   
The distance between Atlanta, Georgia and Kansas City, Kansas is under eight hundred miles as the bird flies, or in a direct line.  Driving, it’s just a hair under eight hundred one miles since roads are rarely laid down in s straight line.  Kara covered the distance in nine minutes twenty-two seconds.  Needless to say, her L-Phone was only able to ring once she landed on the roof of S.T.A.R. Labs.  
   
Moving quickly, she moved the doorway headed down into the gigantic structure that made up the prime location and headquarters of S.T.A.R. Labs.  She ignored the spaces that were left abandoned and unused.  She should talk to Jack about trying to buy this place… there was too much wasted potential to just let it fade away.  
   
Using her enhanced hearing, Kara sped through the maze like hallways until she reached the track where Barry and Cisco as waiting; both are standing in front of an active portal.  
   
“Hey, guys.”  
   
“Oh, thank God.” Cisco sat down on the floor, resting his head against the wall.  “Back up.  Finally.”  
   
Kara watched the portal while wishing that it could somehow reveal its secrets to her, while Barry in his Flash outfit, nodded and then walked over to his best friend.  “You did great, man.  Really impressive.”

“I held a door open. Yay me.” He deadpanned. 

“You held a pathway between two universes.” Kara offered. “Just you without any tech or science to help carry the load. You alone, and you’re still holding it open. Don’t sell yourself short. It’s amazing what you can do.”

“Yeah?”

Kara nodded. “Lena is going to be so jealous. Get ready for it.” Barry laughed as Cisco Ramona’s face lost a bit of color. 

“I can blame Bare, here. He can outrun her.”

Barry shook his head back and forth. “Nuh-uh. Leave me out of it. I’m not taking on a Luthor.”

“Guys?” Caitlin Snow... well, Raymond now, her voice crackled through the intercom system. “Guys?”

Cisco pressed his finger to his ear, apparently to activate a Bluetooth connection. “What’s up, Caitlin?”

“We’ve got several inbound requests, plus a few not bothering to ask for entrance, but demanding immediate access. What did you do? What’s going on?”

Kara answered since the boys were too busy pointing at one another to answer her. “Hey, Caitlin.”

“Kara?”

“Yep. It’s me. Sorry for the leaving you outta the update, but Cisco successfully created a portal breach...”

“On purpose?”

Everyone laughed. “What do you think?”

When Caitlin didn’t immediately respond, Kara continued bring the scientist up to speed. Once done, it really only took a few minutes to explain what had occurred. 

“That explains the requests.”

“Besides Lena and SL-Corp Global, who else?”

“Wayne Technologies was calling before I hung up with Lena. Ray says his guys should be here in the next half hour or so. He’ll beat everyone else by an hour. Easy.”

Kata was nodding along although the future Killer Frost couldn’t see the gesture. “Who else? You sound frazzled.”

“ARGUS, for one.” Amanda Walker is issuing orders like she’s expecting to be in charge. Henshaw has also said he’s on his way, too.”

How’d they know already? We just did this a few minutes ago.” Barry asked, liking between Kara and Cisco to look at the portal. 

“My guess.” Kara offered. “There’s probably satellites orbiting looking for different energy signatures.”

“No hidden spy cams?” Cisco joked. 

Kara shrugged. “Those, too. I know at SL-Corp Global we’ve been doing sweeps every four hours. We’ve found nearly fifty listening devices and half as many cameras in the last month alone.”

“We need to do better.” Caitlin’s voice reminded them that she was still a part of the conversation. 

“I’ll mention it to Lena. LexCorp has some great deterrents for spyware. We can get you the friends and family discount.”

“Kara?” Caitlin spoke. “The Justice League is also on their way. I think they’ve got members from several teams with them.”

The Justice League was a completely different animal than the other organizations like the Outsiders or the Titans - even the Justice Society. No, the League took the most powerful members from all of the other teams and acted like a representative body of Superheroes. While everyone else protected a mapped out territory as its base of operations, the League put themselves over everyone else. 

Currently, the League’s Membership also included the remaining Big Three; the Green Lantern Corp was in talks with the United Nations to be allowed back on Earth. 

Wonder Woman was the cure leader of the League, with the Martian Manhunter right there alongside the Amazon. The Titans representative was the Cyborg and the Outsiders had pushed Metamorpho to be their member. There were even rumors that the Batman was a part of the League, but Kara wasn’t too sure that she believed that one. 

All in all, the League’s roster held supposedly fourteen superheroes, with all but four also members of a part of their respective team. It could get confusing if you weren’t careful. 

“That’s fine, Caitlin.” She finally answered. “We always knew they’d force their way in. Having ARGUS and the DEO here at the same time will help keep them away from the people doing the actual work.”

“Barry got invited to join the League.” Cisco offered into the silence. 

“Really?” Kara glanced over at the Fastest Man Alive. “And what did he decide?”

Barry looked nervous. “It’s a great honor, you know.”

“I’d heard that somewhere.” She responded dryly. 

It had been this Earth’s version of J’onn that had, in fact, made the offer for Kara to join the Justice League. Something that had admittedly intrigued her, but one that she’d declined. It was too political. It wasn’t about helping people. Not from what Kara could tell. 

(( Author’s note – completed to here by 11-07-2018 - if I keep this rate of writing going, I should hit 60,000 words by the 21st. ))  
   
They had shared a nice snack of chocolate cream cookies and milk, something that the Martian had enjoyed on each Earth, while discussing the opportunity.  J’onn had been intrigued about learning of the multiverse, as well as their relationship as members of the alien fighting department – but both were pragmatic enough to recognize that their interactions wouldn’t be the same.  This version of J’onn masqueraded as a white police officer named John Jones, for goodness’ sake!  
   
“That’s okay?  The League offer?”  
   
Kara nodded again.  “It’s your life, Barry.  The Justice League stands for a high ideal, and if you think it’s worth you being a part of it, then I say do it.”  
   
“Good.  Thanks.”  
   
She considered trying to change the subject, but the telltale sounds of several persons approaching had Kara turning to watch the newcomers.  The doors opposite of where she had entered the room were jarringly opened and several people started to fill the not-so-large room that the portal breach was in.  
   
“Magnificent.” The first of about fifteen scientists was gawking at the portal.  “How long has it been stable?”  
   
“I’m not sure I’d call it stable.” Cisco answered.  
   
A dark skinned man holding something out of the ‘Ghostbusters’ movie moved around to take readings.  “Doctor Stone.” He offered as an introduction, maybe.  “Anything over fourteen seconds is stable where we’re concerned.”  
   
“And you’re with?” Kara asked.  
   
“Oh!  Power Girl.” Stone offered.  “Sorry.  We are all so excited.  Work to be done.  Most of the team here is a part of the Queen and Palmer Research Group working with Kord Industries out of Cincinnati.”  
   
Another scientist took his place, one that Kara was more familiar with… or, at least, a version of her.  “I’m Professor Eliza Matthews, originally with Wayne Technologies and currently on loan for the Multiverse Project.  It’s nice to meet you, Power Girl.”  
   
“Kara, please.”  
   
“All right, Kara.” Eliza smiled.  “My sons will be so jealous.”  
   
“I could be bribed to meet them with a home cooked meal.” Kara laughed.  “Especially if there’s pie.”  
   
The doppelgänger of her foster mother smiled.  “I do apple and chocolate pecan, though I don’t make it that often anymore.  My husband, Damon, doesn’t care for it.”  
   
“His loss.  Make it for me and I’ll be there.”  
   
Eliza smiled.  “We’ll set it up.”  She looked over her shoulder.  “I should get back in there.”  
   
Kara waved her off.  “Go.”  
   
Scientists were surrounding the portal.  Photos were being taken from every angle, while handheld devices were beeping and whirring.  Three men were opening boxes and setting up what looked like a Doofensmirtzinator of some kind, aiming it at the glowing doorway.  A quick glance over to where Cisco was still sitting showed a cute doctor currently taking his vitals while a thermometer was in his mouth.  
   
Barry had quickly put his cowl back over his face when the mini invasion had begun.  “Flash?”  
   
At her calling him, the red costumed hero slowly approached.  “Power Girl?”  
   
“Kara’s fine.  I’m not playing with secret identities anymore.”  At his nod, she continued.  “This is going to go for a bit.  I’m going to join Caitlin at the command center and wait for Lena and the others.”  
   
“You’re worried about the Feds?”  
   
“Not really.  I think that there are more on my side than theirs.”  
   
“I’ve got your back.” Barry’s support felt good.  “And Cisco is the only successful portal and I know he’s on your side.”  
   
She clapped him softly on his back, smiling, before taking her leave of the room.  Kara doubted that there would be any attempt to traverse the breach anytime soon, but both superheroes and the Government were involved so anything was possible.  Taking her time to walk the corridors of S.T.A.R. Labs, she checked her phone for messages.  Unsurprisingly, there were a few.  
   
Text from Cat: 3:07 PM - Be safe.  Lois has Carter. Evryone snds love.  Plane arrivs in KC at 1045 tomorrow.  I’ll take cab.  CNN payng. Luv you  
   
Text from Carter: 3:14 PM – Can I invite David over to spend the night?  Mom’s not answering  
   
Text from Lois: 3:15 PM – Ignore Carter.  I’ve spoken to Cat.  Good luck.  I expect an interview as payment.  :-P  
   
Text from Lena: 3:18 PM – Call me when you land.  I need data asap!!!  
   
Text from Lena: 3:33 PM – You should be there.  Why aren’t you calling me???  
   
(3) Missed Calls from Lena.  
   
Text from Lena: 3:36 PM – call me now!!!  
   
Text from Jack: 3:38 PM – PLEASE ANSWER HER FOR THE LOVE OF GOD  
   
(1) Missed Calls from Lex.  
   
(4) Missed Calls from Lena.  
   
(2) Missed Calls from Jack.  
   
Text from Lena: 3:42 PM – News broke.  Heads will roll when I find out who.  Be ready.  Flight lands in 30.   
   
Text from Lena: 3:44 PM – And don’t think I’m not going to kick your ass for not calling me.  
   
(1) Missed Calls from Cat.  
   
(1) Missed Calls from Lena.  
   
(2) Missed Calls from Jess.  
   
Text from Carter: 4:01 PM – Have fun!  Every channel is interrupting afternoon cartoons to talk about whats going on  
   
Text from Cat: 4:17 PM – Make sure you tele thos vultures that I get th stry is mine or it’s the couch fr you.  
   
Kara chuckled under her breath as she checked the time on her L-Phone.  From Barry’s call until now, barely an hour had passed.  How could there be so many texts and L-Chat notifications already?  She decided to ignore the nearly one hundred more, making a mental note to try and respond to everyone later.  
   
Walking into the main hub for STAR Labs, she was pleasantly surprised to see Joe, Eddie and Iris scattered about the room, talking.  The conversation stopped as they all noticed her.  
   
“Is it stable?” Caitlin asked.  
   
She couldn’t help but shrug her shoulders.  “I think so.  It looks stable.  Lord knows that I’ve been through so many that you’d think I was the expert.  It looks like a stable breach, so I’d say yes, but that’s why all of you big brain types are either here or on the way.”  
   
Eddie Thawne stood as she looked his way.  “Power Girl.  It’s a real honor to meet you.”   
   
“Please, Detective Thawne.  Any friend here can call me Kara.”  
   
“Kara, then.” He offered a smile that helped Kara realize why Iris had married him.  “Having Barry as the Flash and some of the others helps, but…”  
   
As his words trailed off, Kara nodded in understanding.  “Human Metas with a relatable power versus big alien, right?  I get it.”  
   
“It’s just… wow.”  
   
“Okay, honey.” Iris grabbed his arm and rolled her eyes at Kara. “Don’t embarrass yourself.  Or Kara, for that matter.”  
   
“It’s okay.  Really.  It was very nice to meet you, Detective Thawne.”  
   
“Eddie, please.”  
   
“Eddie then.”  
   
When Iris directed her husband back over to where her father was sitting, Kara walked over to where Caitlin was keeping watch over the monitors.  
   
“Everything okay?”  
   
The redhead slash brunette nodded.  “Satellites show all’s quiet.”  
   
“Well, that’s good.”  
   
“Yeah.” The bio-engineer shoulder bumped Kara.  “Good to see you again.  I miss having more girls to hang out with.”  
   
“What about Iris?”  
   
“Iris is nice.” Caitlin offered quietly as to not let the other woman in the room know that she was the subject currently being discussed.  “I don’t really know her.  She’s Barry’s sister and all, but she’d kind of a bitch.  Like everyone should listen to her.  It just…”  
   
“Rubs you wrong?” Kara supplied.  
   
“Exactly.”   
   
Kara considered how Team Flash was such a well-oiled machine on Earth One… but they’d only had Team Arrow to guide them along through the growing pains.  Here, Barry and all of the STAR Labs support team had the Registration and List to deal with, not to mention the superhero mentor slash advisor he’d gotten.  And while Hourman was not Kara’s favorite, he had apparently done a good job.  He’d even been a major point in discovering that Wells wasn’t really Wells, but the Reverse Flash.  
   
Vixen had been here, too, and that might have helped Caitlin not feel like the token girl member of the team.  
   
“You and Ronnie could jump ship and join SL-Corp Global.” Kara offered.  We outnumber the boys by a lot.  Jack would love for Ronnie to provide some testosterone.”  
   
“I couldn’t.”  
   
“Caitlin.” Kara made sure the scientist was looking at her and paying attention.  “That’s not an idle offer.  No joke.  I know you are a part owner of STAR Labs and that’s fine.  SL-Corp has a good relationship with you, but we know talent when we see it.  You and Ronnie would have a place with us.”  
   
She laughed at Kara’s words.  “You couldn’t afford both of us.”  
   
Kara nodded.  “That’s true, but I think you and your husband would thrive there.  And Doctor Stein, as well.”  
   
“You know?” Caitlin asked in wonder.  
   
Kara sighed.  “I’m an abnormality that breaks all the rules. There are a lot of secrets that I know from the different Earths I’ve interacted with.  Now, does that mean I know everything?  No.  Not at all.  There are so many new faces and events that I can’t even keep up sometimes… but the stuff I do know is usually pretty important.”  
   
“You’d said you knew me before.” Caitlin confirmed0.  
   
“I did.” Kara noted that the monitor against the far wall showed a large contingent of people entering the building.  “Not greatly, but enough that I know things that will surprise you.  A lot.”  
   
“Like what?  Tell me.” She persisted.  
   
“The Earth One version of you travelled to Earth Two with the Flash.  There, you discovered that you were a super villain by the name of Killer Frost.”  
   
“Killer Frost?  Really?  My last name is Snow and I get… what?  Ice powers?  And I called myself Killer Frost.”  
   
The Kryptonian chuckled.  “I know.  Very ‘Remus Lupin being a werewolf’ of you.”  
   
“I wish you were making this up.”  
   
“I’m not.” Kara offered back.  “And after meeting your evil twin, Barry went back and changed the past.  When he came back, you were Killer Frost on your Earth as well.”  
   
“He actually changed the past?”  
   
“Yeah.  It’s kind of a thing super speedsters like the Flash and others sometimes have to deal with.  The time barrier isn’t supposed to be messed with, but their access to the Speed Force makes it a temptation that is sometimes too hard to resist.  Especially when something catastrophic happens.”  
   
‘Doctor Wells,” Caitlin paused.  “Eobard Thawne.  He was from the future.”  
   
“And he probably made a lot of changes.” Kara listened as a number of footsteps continued to approach.  He Government was almost here.  “I’ve made some, too, although I did try to not do anything at first.”  
   
“What changed?”  
   
“Everything was already different.  I was looking for Earth One.  I found this one instead.”  
   
“Earth One Hundred Fifty-nine.”  
   
Kara laughed.  “That’s what I named it.  Who knows what another reality’s Earth would call us.  We could be on Earth Twelve Thousand for all I know.”  
   
“Or Earth X”  
   
Kara shook her head.  “No.  I’ve been to Earth X.  We are definitely not Earth X.”  
   
Any response Caitlin might have offered was lost as Hank Henshaw led several obvious military type people into the command center.  Everyone except for Kara seemed surprised at the new arrivals.  
   
“Director Henshaw.” Caitlin got over her surprise fairly quick.  “A pleasure.  I didn’t realize we’d left the doors open. Otherwise, I would have had someone meet you when you go there.”  
   
“No bother, Doctor Snow.”  He turned and nodded at Kara.  “Power Girl.”  
   
“Director.” Kara greeted the man.  That his face had been both a source of security and comfort, as well as one of her most hated enemies once upon a time, made it difficult to school her expression at his arrival.  
   
A fact that he apparently took note of.  
   
“The breach?”  
   
“I’ll show them.” Eddie suddenly offered, having drawn closer with so many new people in the room.  “I want to see it, anyway.”  
   
“Me, too.” Iris joined in.  
   
Hank Henderson curtly acknowledged them both before turning to the men he’d brought along.  “Follow them.  Don’t interfere with the people already here.  Assist and observe.  I expect a full report within the hour.”  
   
Kara watched as everyone saluted, before following behind the married couple.  She hated to admit it, but she was impressed.  
   
“I take it Luthor is on the way?” He spoke after the room had gotten a lot emptier.  
   
“Lena and Lex both, yes.”  
   
“Good.  They still about fifteen minutes out?”  
   
Kara glanced at her L-Phone, checking the time.  “That sounds about right.”  
   
The dark skinned man looked around the command center, his gaze seeming to take everything in and saving it all to memory.  Finally done, he turned to look again at Caitlin and Kara.  
   
“Doctor Snow.”  
   
“It’s actually Raymond now.” Caitlin interrupted.  
   
“What?”  
   
“I’m married.  I’m Doctor Caitlin Raymond now.  Well, Snow-Raymond, technically.”  
   
Kara wanted to laugh at the expression on Henshaw’s face.  
   
“Fine.  Doctor Raymond.” He acknowledged.  “Would you mind if Power Girl and I used the room over there,” he pointed to a private, glass-walled room. “To have a conversation?”  
   
“I don’t mind.”  
   
Seeing no reason to deny the Director’s request, Kara followed along behind him as he strode purposefully towards the room.  Once they were both inside, he shut the door and then pulled what looked like a fancy lighter out of his pocket.  
   
“Stops electronic eavesdropping.” He offered before flipping a switch.  A small blue light turned on.  Kara didn’t disclose that it appeared as a bastardized version of something Jack had created under the SL-Corp Global copyright and trademark.  
   
“You wanted to talk.” Kara prompted.  
   
“I want you to come work for me.”  Henshaw stated bluntly.  
   
Kara stared at the man, not quite sure she had actually heard the words that he had spoken aloud.  The DEO was everything that Kara thought was wrong regarding the politics of this world.  A List of super powered people, forced to Register or face imprisonment.  Or possibly worse.  
   
“What?”  
   
He nodded like he had expected her reaction.  “You.  Joining the Department of Extraordinary Operations.  I’d really like you as my second-in-command.”  
   
“I’m sorry… but, what?”  
   
“Look.  I get that you like to do things your own way.  I’m the same.  And while we see the world from different viewpoints, I think we both want the same thing.”  
   
“And that is?”  
   
“Accountability.” He answered immediately.  “What you did in New York with the Exorians?  Exactly what the DEO was supposed to handle, but we can’t get the superheroes to follow along.  And that jackass Green Lantern?  An officer that thinks his way is the only way?  Screw the laws of the land you’re in?  He needed stopped.”  
   
“I don’t think…”  
   
“Don’t discount it, yet.  This is a serious offer.”  He leant back on the desk behind him, his arms crossed in a relaxed manner. “I’ve read everything that I can about you and your Earth.  I can see where you glossed over a lot of bad things.”  
   
“It wasn’t fair.  It isn’t fair to hold people here guilty for what a different version of them did somewhere else.”  
   
“That’s big of you.”  
   
Kara started to get angry.  “Don’t make fun of me.”  
   
He held his hands up.  “I wasn’t and I won’t.  That you don’t hold grudges and you let former enemies maybe become friends… or allies, at least.  That’s impressive.”  
   
“Thank you.”  
   
Henshaw nodded.  “I can’t say I understand all of the motivations for what your Earth did.  I will say that an alien masquerading as a human to be President was wrong.  On so many levels, wrong.  Should she have been assassinated?  Of course not, but that alien did you no favors.”  
   
She hated to admit that she understood his point.  “But working for you?”  
   
“Look, I get that your DEO didn’t start off right.  And while it changed for the better for a while, it ultimately returned to its original purpose.  It was bad from the get go.  The DEO here was created to monitor and protect.  The List isn’t so a hate group can hunt anyone down, but a way for everyone, human or Meta of alien alike, to feel safe.”  
   
“But…”  
   
“But it’s not fair?” Henshaw chuckled darkly.  “We register gun owners.  We register martial artists.  We have lists for scientists that know how to make dangerous stuff in their basements.  Hell, there’s even laws up for vote right now regarding new technology.  Why shouldn’t someone that can crush another man without a second thought not need to be on a list?  The List.”  
   
He glanced at the military timepiece on his left arm.  “I want a team.  It’s been named Cadmus, which I know from what I’ve read that you hate.  Wasn’t my call.  It will be made up of scientists and soldiers.  Police and supers.  I want you to lead it.  I have four people I want on a team of ten besides you.  You get to choose the other five.  They’ll have to go through the vetting process, but I can’t imagine anyone will say no to your picks.”  
   
“And I answer to you?” Kara couldn’t believe that she was about to agree to this.  “Just you?”  
   
“There’s a chain of command, but I answer to the Secretary of Defense.  His boss is the President of the United States.  That means no one else has any say over you.”  
   
“You’re making this hard to say no to.”  
   
“Which was my intention.”  H smiled.  A real smile.  It reminded her of J’onn.  “I will tell you that Lex Luthor is another one of my picks, so that you’re friends makes it more for your favor than just your five.  Including you, that’s seven out of ten.  Your team backed by the United States Government that can enforce the Registration and the List.”  
   
“I hate that List.”  
   
“Then join the DEO and change the damned list.” He growled.   
   
“I could do that?”  
   
“That List and the Registration is nearly fifty years old and was written by a President that had survived an assassination attempt that killed his wife and while the United Nations and the rest of the world was screaming at us.  It did what it needed to do, but it can be changed.  Hell, the whole Constitution ought to be looked at again.  The Founding Fathers never dreamed what life is like now.”  
   
Lena was going to kill her.  
   
“I’m in, but only after I discuss this with Cat.”  
   
“Probably a good idea.  Never a good idea to piss off the wife.  Second divorce taught me that.” He stood and walked towards the door.  “I can offer her a spot, just not on the actual team.  Official Press Agent or liaison or something.  Full exclusive and inside look.  Full transparency.”  
   
“Great.  Now I can’t refuse.”  
   
“That was the idea.” Henshaw laughed.  “Welcome aboard, Assistant Director Kara Strarr.  Power Girl.”  
   
Definitely screwed.  
   
“Now, let’s go look at a doorway into a new world.”  
   
   
END PART ONE  
   
(( Author’s note – completed to here by 11-08-2018 )) 


	2. Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I started this, the story was going to be all about the Arrowverse and Kara becoming a part of Earth One or an Earth extremely similar.  She was going to affect how their shows would have been different with her there to help.  She was going to meet Lena Luthor and fall in love.  It was nice.  
>    
> I tried to do the challenge correctly and just started writing.  Vague plan and let the story write itself.  Nothing went the way I expected.  Alex survived, but got lost.  Lena married Jack and Cat is younger and available… and the DC Universe exploded everywhere.  
>    
> I hope you enjoy Part Two.  Thanks for reading.  
>  

>   
EARTH 159  
APRIL 2016  
>   
   
“I shoulda stayed in New York.” Former Detective Maggie Sawyer griped as she continued to push random buttons on the machine in front of her.  “At least there I could have some coffee already made.”  
   
Nudging her with his shoulder, Doctor Curtis Holt smiled.  “You suck at making coffee anyway, Mags.  Let someone that actually wants to savor the taste of what they’re drinking man the pot, kay?”  
   
The two members of the newly created Team Cadmus continued to bicker and trade insults while the coffee was brewing, not caring in the least that many of the other teammates were watching on and making bets as to who would come out victorious this time.  The wagers were about even since neither liked to lose and it was often too hard to determine a winner, although both usually agreed that Sawyer was the ultimate winner, mainly due to the fact that Holt ended up making the coffee.  
   
Julian Desmond rolled his eyes at the two of them, his face betraying the fact that while many of the team put up with the scientist and the former NYPD officer’s antics, he was not happy to be witnessing it again.  Instead, the former crime scene investigator for Scotland Yard continued to drink his tea and ignore the rest of the room.  The only remaining members of Team Cadmus (as Director Henshaw had labeled them) were Megan Morse, also known as M’gann M’orzz of Mars… or recently codenamed ‘Miss Martian’ (a moniker that the Martian truly, truly hated) and Kara.  The two aliens were going over the latest schematics for the Multiverse Portal that had been in use for the past three weeks.  
   
“Do you understand any of this?” Megan asked. “I mean, I’m no slouch when it comes to science, but this is just…”  
   
“I get it.” Kara confirmed.  “I wasn’t headed to the Science Guild, but I did test in the high percentile for it.  The math seems sound; and I somewhat get the frequency resonation, but the rest is beyond anything I’ve seen before.”  
   
“That’s quite understandable.”  Lex Luthor walked into the room, his eyes bright with excitement.  Professor Will Magnus and their Marine escort, Captain John Stewart, entered into the room.  “Most of the science on those pages would still be considered theoretical if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s currently in use.”  
   
“Yeah.  Still doesn’t help me feel less like I’m the slowest in the room.”  
   
Professor Magnus smiled at the Martian.  “It shouldn’t.  I doubt there are more than ten people in the whole world that understands it completely.  I get only about a third of it and I pride myself on my intellect.  We do only what we can and hope that it’s enough.  Oh, is Doctor Holt making coffee?”  
   
Lex, Megan and Kara watched the man quickly move to where Maggie and Curtis were finally no longer arguing about whatever topic it was for today.  Kara shook her head in exasperation.  “He creates artificial lifeforms, robots with varying powers that mimic some of this world’s stronger superheroes and that act as our support in the field, and he thinks he’s only doing just enough.”  
   
Lena’s brother patted her on the shoulder.  “Not everyone can be as self-confident as you or I.”  Megan coughed *cocky* into her closed fist; Lex pointedly ignored her.  “The world is full of so many wonders now that what was once considered the top of the field now almost is considered average.”  
   
“Is it that bad?”  
   
“No.” He answered her. “Mediocrity will no longer be good enough.  Professors and doctors, once regaled as the best of the best, now have to push harder, farther.  We cannot just rest on what we did.  There has to be a push for better.  Greater.”  
   
Megan looked thoughtful. “Is that why half the team is scientists?”  
   
Lex nodded as Kara answered. “We’re not here to just police the other superheroes.  While that’s one of our mandates, it’s not our primary focus.  Between you and me, Driscoll, and Captain Stewart, we’ve got the power to back anyone down.  What the D.E.O. is about is creating accountability in a world that doesn’t necessarily make sense anymore.”  
   
“She’s right.” William Magnus joined the conversation, sipping at his coffee.  “I joined Team Cadmus because too many events have occurred that no one took the time to question.  These various super teams and individuals are doing good things.  Even great things.  But we can’t find where anyone is communicating with one another and that means stuff is slipping through the cracks.”  
   
“Stuff?” Megan chuckled at the scientist’s word usage.”  
   
“Sure.  Stuff.  Take Power Girl here…”  
   
“Kara, please.” The Kryptonian requested.  
   
Magnus nodded.  “Kara came through a dimensional tear in the fabric of our reality.  There’s a science behind that, but no one thought to consider it possible.  And while that might seem forgivable since we didn’t know it was possible, why didn’t anyone realize that it happened?  We have intellects that have already created devices that scan for anomalous energy spikes… why wasn’t her arrival noticed?”  
   
“But is that really fair?” Helena Bertinelli had snuck into the room unnoticed by most everyone else.  Kara smiled that she was attempting to join into the conversation.  The former heiress was still skittish at being pardoned and now a part of a governmental task force.  “Why should we look for something we never knew was possible?”  
   
“Nothing is fair.” Lex sighed.  “Among the various superheroes that were active at the time Kara and her sister arrived on our Earth, there were no less than six persons with access to tools at their disposal that should have done something.”  
   
“Six?”  
   
“Hal Jordan with his Power Ring is the easiest to call out.” Lex smiled.  “In just the few months I’ve had to study the Green Lantern’s Battery and Ring, I’ve discovered that it is connected, much like our World Wide Web, to every other ring in existence.  Moreover, it connects to the Guardians’ home world and the hub of the various Rings’ knowledge, all of which is stored there and made available to every Ring Bearer.”  
   
“And there have been other portals?” Kara asked.  This was news to her.  
   
“Oh, yes.  The Green Lantern Corp members really have no idea to what knowledge they have access to at their literal fingertips.  There is so much that the Ring can do, but no one is properly trained to use it as much more than a battering ram, or as a weapon.”  
   
“I thought you had to give the Ring back?” Megan asked.  
   
It was Kara that answered.  “Actually, there’s been a Treaty signed by the United States with Oa’s governing body.”  
   
“Really?  I hadn’t heard that.”  
   
“Yep.  In fact, Captain Stewart here was the agreed upon recipient to receive the Power Ring.” Kara gestured to where the Marine was standing quietly.  With the rest of the room now looking at the soldier, he lifted his left hand to show the Green Lantern Ring resting quietly on his index finger.  
   
“It was a pretty heated discussion, if what I heard was correct.” Professor Magnus spoke, seemingly to take the attention off of the dark skinned man.  
   
Lex took up the figurative ball.  “It was.  First, the United Nations demanded to be involved in the Talks since they felt it should be a world-to-world discussion and not just a single country trying to represent the Earth as a whole.”  
   
“Makes sense.” Julian offered, never looking up from the magazine he was reading.  
   
Lex continued. “So, the Guardians met with the U.N. Representative, along with our people…”  
   
“Of which you were a part of.” Kara offered.  
   
“Yes.  I was there.  You gave the Ring to me.  I’d been studying it and, besides Mister Jordan or Mister Scott, was the best to know its capabilities.” He looked around the room.  “The Guardians were forced to explain the process by which their Ring’s independently choose their Bearer.”  
   
“How does…”  
   
Lex waved off Helena’s intended inquiry.  “It would take days to explain in detail.  Suffice it to say, there are several safeguards in place to ensure that only the right sort of person gets one of their Rings and is allowed to join their ranks.”  
   
“How did Jordan screw it up then?”  
   
Kara laughed at Maggie’s question.  “He didn’t.  The Guardians screwed up by demanding he do something that he couldn’t accomplish.”  No one needed further explanation at that.  Kara’s fight with the former Green Lantern and the taking of his Power Ring was known the world over.  
   
“After several weeks of detailed explanations, I gave up my possession of the Ring and Battery in order for the Ring to choose a new bearer.  In all honesty, I thought it might go to Kara.”  
   
The blonde shivered.  “Thank Rao, no.”  
   
“Three different people were chosen.  Hal Jordan, of course, but since he was incarcerated and due to his actions, he was deemed unacceptable.  Next was a Mister Guy Gardner, a Police Officer with the Baltimore Police Department.  He was carefully considered, but ultimately discarded due to several infractions on his record.  And then. Captain Stewart here.”  
   
“That was it?  The Ring chose and he gets to be the new Green Lantern?”  
   
At Helena’s words, Captain Stewart spoke up.  “Hardly.”  
   
Lex agreed and continued.  “The United Nations threw a fit.  Three American citizens.  No one from any other country was selected.  Needless to say, the International community is even further upset with the United States.  But Captain Stewart was chosen.  He was brought in, debriefed, and given the choice to accept or decline.”  
   
“He’s going to resign his commission, Honorably Discharged, since he will effectively be working for two distinctly different entities: the United States and Earth, as well as the Guardians of Oa.”  
   
“Wow.” Maggie offered.  “What happens if those two sides come into conflict?”  
   
“I’ll make my decision and suffer whatever consequences come my way.”  
   
“Spoke like a true solider.” Doctor Holt’s voice seemed full of admiration.   
   
“Like a Marine.” Professor Magnus corrected.  
   
Everyone continued to talk among themselves for a while, eventually even getting the Marine to join in where they could.  Holt even made another pot of coffee, much to Maggie’s chagrin.  Kara soon left the room to check in on the last of Team Cadmus, the one member that was absent: Cody Driscoll.  
   
Cody was an interesting case; an alien slash human hybrid that had been Director Henshaw’s final choice to be on the D.E.O task force.  Cody was apparently just one of four or five offspring that an unknown extraterrestrial species had decided to impregnate human women in order to do... well, something – the ultimate reason was still unknown.  His abilities seemed to fit right in, though, with his possessing enhanced strength, speed and senses nearly eight times that of a regular human.  During an early sparring session to determine Driscoll’s level of ability, he had even left a few bruises on Kara’s skin, though only at the end of the fight.  
   
He definitely had the power necessary, but his attitude left a lot to be desired.  Cody was young; and while he seemed respectful at first glance, he did make his interest in the opposite sex known.  Kara wasn’t sure if Megan or Maggie was going to teach him the error of his ways first.  Or Helena.  She hope done of the former two.  They’d hurt his pride.  Helena would actually hurt him.  
   
Kara found Cody in his assigned quarters at the D.E.O. base of operations in Atlanta, Georgia (it had been the one non-negotiable caveat with Director Henshaw: either New York City or Atlanta, Georgia.  Those were the cities she and Cat [Carter, too] were going to start their lives together in).  The young man was watching television.  
   
“The team is all hanging out upstairs.  Holt made coffee.” She said from the doorway.  
   
“The blonde haired male looked her way after muting the idiot box.  “No thanks.  I’m good down here.”  
   
“Come on.  Socializing with the others helps build trust.” She offered a big smile.  “You keeping to yourself makes the rest of us feel like you don’t like us.”  
   
He sat up on the bed where he had been laying.  “Look.  I understand that I’m a part of this team.  Director Henshaw explained that to me, and I’ll do my best to holdup my end, but nothing said I had to be nice and hang out.”  
   
“Wow.  Okay.” Kara was flabbergasted.  “What brought this on?”  
   
Cody turned the television off and threw the remote down on the bed.  “Nothing.”  
   
“No.  It’s not nothing.  If you’re not happy here or wa…”  
   
“Happy here?” He laughed darkly.  “I get to be on a superhero team of internal affairs for the superhero community.  I go where I’m told, when I’m told.  My team consists of a bunch of human brainy types that want samples of everything.  Hell, even the cops we got are Science Division and a CSI.  I wanted action and fun, like the Titans or the All Star Squadron.”  
   
With his rant over, Kara stepped further into the room, her eyes narrowing.  “Then why’d you accept this assignment?  You could have refused Henshaw’s request?”  
   
“Really? You believe that?  I know the score.  I’ve read all about the others that turned this place down.  I like my powers, thank you very much.  I’m not letting those brainy teammates of mine start cutting me open.  No way.”  
   
“It’s not like that here.”  
   
“Tell that to Pantha, or Wildebeast, or what about The Question?” His voice held scorn for her naivety.  “There are others, too.  Superheroes that passed the trials, but vanished once the D.E.O. recruited them.  So no, I’m not happy to be here, but what choice do I have?”  
   
“I…”  
   
“Yeah, I don’t care.  Go have fun with your geeks and leave me alone.” He sat back on the bed and turned the television back on.  “Call me if there’s a mission.  Otherwise, I’m busy.”  
   
Not sure of what else to do, Kara turned and made her away from Driscoll’s room.  It wasn’t intentional, but she found her steps taking her away from where the rest of the team was gathered and towards the command center.  She recognized none of the names that Cody had used as examples, but she had top clearance to the D.E.O. records, so she was definitely going to find out.  She needed answers.  
   
Maybe she should talk to Cat.  Kara worried that talking to her fiancé about Cody’s claims would start something.  Cat was already on edge after accepting Director Henshaw’s offer as liaison and Director of Public Relations for the Department of Extraordinary Operations.  She’d turned in her notice at CNN at this opportunity.  If it turned out that Kara had encouraged her to making a mistake, things might not go so well. It was bad enough that Kara had decided to be Power Girl for the Department.  
   
No, she’d leave Cat out of this for now.  
   
Maybe Kara should call someone else.  Lena, maybe.  Or even Jack.  That could be Plan B if this didn’t work out like she hoped.  
   
Arriving at the command center, Kara took a moment to enjoy the windows that gave such a pleasant view of the Atlanta skyline.  Sunlight shining always made her feel better.  She nodded at some of the agents that were scattered around the room.  It wasn’t as easy to be the new second-in-command of the D.E.O. as Alex had made it seem back on Earth Thirty-eight.  Being in charge just suited her sister.  Kara felt like she had to struggle against… well, everyone, just to get a fraction of the respect that Alex seemed to get naturally.  Eventually, one of the agents braved approaching her to see what she needed.  A private and secure computer station was provided quickly.   
   
Opening up the search bar, she quickly typed in ‘Pantha’.  She hoped she was spelling it right.  Apparently she had.  Kara’s terminal began to fill with pages and pages of photographs and notes from various sources.  It would have been too much, maybe, for anyone else, but Kara was able to quickly absorb a lot of information.  What she read seemed almost impossible.  
   
Next, she tried ‘Wildebeast’.  There was again a lot of pages, but after sorting through most of them (especially as she now understood what she was looking for), she found that two were connected.  Kara returned to the search bar and entered ‘the question’.  It wasn’t as easy since the name was so generic, but again found the same thing.   
   
Kara sat back in the chair and considered what she’d read.  Using the three superheroes as the baseline, she used as many of the common missions and reports to see if there were any other missing heroes that could be included.  
   
There were more.   
   
So many more.  
   
Since the D.E.O.’s formation, nearly three hundred Metas and possible aliens, even some suspected humans… heroes and villains both, had been murdered.  And at first glance, Kara fell into the trap that Cody Driscoll fell into; that apparently so many people fell into – blaming the Department of Extraordinary Operations for kidnapping and killing the superheroes that didn’t fall in line with their plan; those that refused to abide by the rules that they wanted followed.  
   
But it wasn’t the D.E.O.  No, the Department had been the ones to see the pattern, so long ago.  To realize that there was a common enemy that the various superhero teams and individuals didn’t even know they needed to be fighting against.  Why was this such a secret?  Was wasn’t someone yelling about this from the highest building?  So many names.  So many super powered heroes and villains.  Names that Kara remembered from her Earth and Barry’s Earth.  From some of the Earths that others had visited.  So many people simply found dead; no obvious sign of trauma nor any motive.  
   
The phone at the desk began to ring.  On reflex, Kara answered.  
   
“I see you found out already.”  Hank Henshaw’s voice immediately spoke.  
   
“What is this?” Kara asked, not caring in the slightest that either the information had alerted the director or she had.  “Why isn’t this a thing?  Who else knows what’s going on?”  
   
He sighed.  “I had hoped that this wouldn’t come up for a while.  I figured the portals and getting the team together would keep you busy.  I could ease you into this one.”  
   
“Great plan, chief.” She offered sarcastically.   
   
“Don’t call me ‘chief’.  Look, if you promise to leave this for now, I’ll give you the basic rundown.  This is too big right now.  We’ll save it for when we’ve got all our ducks in a row.  Deal?”  
   
Kara considered what he was saying.  In truth, she knew he was right.  Their team was brand new.  There were the stable portals to be investigated and her sister to hopefully find.  The other superhero teams were already balking at the D.E.O. having the new Green Lantern on their payroll, much less Power Girl.  When they realized they had a White Martian and Magnus’ Metal Men, as well… it was going to be a near civil war between all of the Metas.  They really couldn’t afford to try and tackle a decades’ long serial killer.  Could they?  
   
“Deal.  But we are definitely having a long discussion about this later.”  
   
“That’s fine.  I’ll get everything ready for you.”  
   
Kara closed the computer down.  “Give me the bones of it.”  
   
“In the early seventies, the Department had a Task Force.  Task Force X.  In cooperation with A.R.G.U.S., we conscripted convicted super-powered villains to take on some very dangerous missions on the condition that If they were successful and played nicely, they could get reductions to their sentences or, in some cases where we couldn’t release them back into society, thy got privileges they’d been denied.  
   
“Privileges?”  
   
“No like that.”  Henshaw responded quickly.  “Access to television, radios.  Better food.  Coffee maker. Things like that.”   
   
“Okay.  Go on.”  
   
“An early mission into the Vietnam jungles resulted in the team getting killed.  No survivors, or so we thought.  A few years after the failed mission, one of the team showed up in Minnesota.  Just, outta the blue - there he was, pretty as you please.  We lost him on the first attempt to grab him using another group of convicts.  A few days later, they found him dead.  The first victim.  Bronze Tiger.”  
   
“Who was he?”  
   
“Human villain in a tiger costume.  Robbed a bunch of banks. He woulda been set free after the mission.  He had no reason to betray the Suicide Squad.”  
   
“Suicide Squad?” Kara asked.  “What’s that?  I thought we were talking about your Task Force X.”  
   
“Same thing.  The convicts started calling the Task Force the Suicide Squad since so many of its members ended up dead.”  
   
“Oh.”  
   
“Yeah.  So, Bronze Tiger was dead.  The team reported that back to us, but before they could return to base, they got hit.  Lost half of that group.  Four got back, but none of ‘em could explain what happened clearly.  Gist was that one of them turned on the rest.”  
   
“A traitor?  Okay.” She thought it over.  “I could see that.  They were bad guys, after all.  Really should have expected that.”  
   
“We did.  A.R.G.U.S. implanted explosives inside the base of their skulls.  You ran, you died.”  
   
“Could the traitor have bypassed the failsafe?”  
   
“It’s possible.  Doctor Polaris. He could control metal.  Magnetic fields and such.” The Director hummed a moment.  “If any of them might have been able to, it would’ve been him.  Doubt it though.”  
   
“Why?”  
   
“He was the next victim discovered.”  
   
“I’ve got a lot of questions.” Kara stated matter-of-factly.  “But I agreed to drop this for now.  I don’t like how I had to learn about this, so let’s not keep any huge secrets from one another, okay?  We have to trust one another if this is going to work.”  
   
“Agreed.”  
   
“Good.  Then just one last question and then I’ll drop it until its time.”  
   
“Shoot.”  
   
“Is Team Cadmus the next Suicide Squad for you and the D.E.O.?”  
   
“Absolutely not.” Henshaw sounded offended.  “We stopped that on our end back in eighty-four.  Maybe eighty-five.  It was too risky and the benefits didn’t outweigh the cost.  I may be a bastard, but not that much of one.  The Department now, we’ve been human for the most part since.  We had the occasional low level Meta, but nothing that could match who’s out there.  Never could get anyone… and when we finally did, they died fairly quickly.”  
   
“Pantha?  And the Question?”  
   
“Yep.  Them and quite a few others.  You saw.  Any that we recruited definitely were eliminated, but there were others.  So many.”  
   
“Why not bring in the Justice Society?  Or the Outsiders?  Somebody?”  
   
“When the supers learned of Task Force X.  About the Suicide Squad, no one really trusted the D.E.O. anymore.  Sure, they kept Registering and signing the List.  That’s Federal Law.  But actually trusting us to do anything more than clean up?  Not a chance.”  
   
“And then the rumors started.”  
   
“There’s always gonna be rumors.  Men in Black; secret agents watching your every move; join or die.” He laughed.  “I sometimes am amazed that the Department is still up and running.  We’ve been nothing more than damage control and paperwork cleanup for so long.”  
   
“Well… that’s all about to change,” Kara offered.  
   
“I hope so.”  
   
Her voice was steel.  “Count on it.”  
   
Henshaw disconnected the call without a goodbye, but Kara barely noticed.   How had she missed so much of what was really happening on this Earth?  Had she really been so blind to finding Alex and finally getting the opportunity to love Cat that she let something this big slip right through?   
   
Making her way out of the command center, Kara moved quickly to her assigned quarters.  She looked at the room and really took the time to see what was there.  It was like everywhere she’d ever considered hers.  Brightly colored pillows and blankets, photos of Cat and Cart, Lena and Jack, friends and family.  There were knickknacks already covering the desk leaving no room for almost anything else.  It was a teenager’s room.  A teenage girl’s room.  
   
It took just a moment to speed through the facility to find a box.  It took even less time to put all of the useless junk into the box and shove it under the bed.  She kept the photos on the wall.  Kara had to remember what she was here for… what she was fighting for.  Nodding, Kara quickly changed into the Power Girl uniform that Cat had commissioned for her.  The mirror on the door showed the same person it always had, but Kara felt different. Maybe the Girl part or Power Girl was finally going away.  
   
She wished Alex was with her.  
   
Glancing at the clock on the desk, it had been only a few hours since she’d left the majority of her team upstairs.  Walking briskly, but at a human’s pace, she made her way down the corridor, running through all that she had learned in such a short time.  
   
It was time to get to work.  
   
        TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS  
   
>   
EARTH 159  
AUGUST 2016  
>   
   
“What’ve we got?” Cody asked.  Kara looked over at her teammate and couldn’t help but smile.  He was covered in mud.  Not just a little, but literally from head to foot covered.  She tried to hide it, but apparently wasn’t successful.  “Yeah. Laugh it up.  See if I cover your six next time.”  
   
“I appreciate it.” She offered.  
   
“Go fly away or something.”  
   
He really should have known better than to try and shield her from Clayface’s attempt to drown her in a giant mudslide.  Her freeze breath would have stopped him cold (forgive the horrible pun).  And if that hadn’t of worked, her heat vision would have definitely done the trick.  That Cody had been all macho and tried to hold back the tons of mud trying to overwhelm her had been noble, but it had been a futile and useless gesture.  Not only had she been able to avoid the so-called trap, but she’d had to have Megan save Cody instead.  
   
Smiling as Cody, codenamed Risk, walked away muttering under his breath, Kara took stock of the battle zone.  For the most part, they’d kept the collateral damage to a minimum.  This particular group of disenfranchised super villains had taken it upon themselves to assume that since Team Cadmus had forced the Batman into either Registering or retiring (he chose retirement), that now was the time to take over his city,  
   
A big mistake.  
   
Kara’s earpiece sounded off.  Curtis Holt’s voice was suddenly there.  “Who all did we get on this one?”  
   
Looking around, Kara started counting.  
   
“Clayface obviously.  I see Killer Croc and Man-Bat down by Megan.  I think Mister Freeze, as well.  I didn’t see him personally, but someone was throwing beams of ice around.”  
   
“It was Freeze.” The voice of Gold, one of Magnus’ Metal Men, spoke up across the Bluetooth.  “I’ve got him ready for pick up.”  
   
“Good job.” Kara offered. “I have Solomon Grundy with me.”  
   
This was the eighth altercation with a banded group of super villains in the last four months since Kara had taken Team Cadmus and put them on course to end the chaos of the hero teams acting independently.  It was not an easy task, as nobody had wanted to be answerable to someone else, but she had the might of the Federal Government behind her, not to mention that with the funding of LexCorp and SL-Corp Global, as well as her Team of brilliant minds and unmatched super powers, no one really wanted to go against them.  And while the superheroes were dragging their feet at towing the line, the bad guys thought that now was the time to strike.  
   
Power Girl and Team Cadmus was putting that thought down hard.  
   
It wasn’t easy.  No smooth sailing.  
   
New York City had been the epicenter of no less than four of the eight fights.  It started off with a bunch of laughable super villains… the so-called ‘Legion of Doom’ that had made a lot of noise and tried doing something… Kara still wasn’t exactly sure.  Some challenge that they were so sure they would win against the Justice Society or League.  No way.  Team Cadmus took them down fast.   
   
And then there was the ‘Secret Society of Super Villains’.  Really.  She couldn’t make this stuff up if she tried.   They thought that by hiding what they were doing, their chances of success would be higher.  Lex had somehow gotten wind of their master plan (Kara had no real idea what said plan was supposed to accomplish) and that had been the end to that.  Nearly thirteen super villains were apprehended that day.  
   
Third had been the Brotherhood of Evil.  They wanted to murder as many superheroes as they could get ahold of.  Kara had taken it personally when their idea was to kidnap the loved ones of the heroes to force them to give up.  The thought that Cat or Carter might have been in danger had been enough motivation that Power Girl’s singlehanded capture of most of that group scared many other bad guys not even associated with the Brotherhood to surrender to the NYPD in order to escape her gaze.  
   
And finally… last and possibly least… maybe not… was the Injustice League.  They’d taken a page out of the Justice League’s playbook and tried to bring the most powerful of the bad guys together and rule over the smaller, weaker villain teams - mob style.  Supposedly, they were the brains behind the previous three encounters – all in the name of studying Team Cadmus for any obvious or not so obvious weaknesses.  Epic fail, as Carter would have said.  
   
Those encounters, plus one in Atlanta, one in Los Angeles and two in D.C., Kara and her team were very busy.  And none of that included the constant meetings and interactions with the good guys who were determined to cause at much trouble as they could, all of them refusing to be answerable to anyone but themselves… or for each member of Team Cadmus to deal with actual jobs or personal projects of social lives.  
   
Kara was worried that she was going to lose Cat.  The very thing she’d promised Carter and his mother so long ago; to not let being a superhero come before loving them, seemed to be happening.  Sure, they both knew how important what Kara was doing was, not to mention that Cisco and Lena had nearly perfected a communication system to talk to the other universes within the Multiverse, thereby avoiding the appearance of being an invasion of any kind.  They were so close…  
   
But Cat…  
   
Kara hadn’t spoken to Cat in nearly a month.  Not in person.  There was the occasional telephone call and text message, various emails, but they hadn’t been face-to-face in so long that Kara nearly wept each morning she woke up alone.  Again.  
   
(( Completed to here by 11-14-2018 ))  
   
But that was a worry for another day… although that very attitude might be the real reason that her fiancé refused to talk to her.  Maybe Lena or Jack would have some good advice.

Nope. Jack didn’t have any advice. Nothing good, anyway. Kara had flown straight to SL-Corp Global to seek out her favorite couple, only to find that Lena wasn’t in the best of moods since she’d had to pick up some of the slack that Kara’s time as Power Girl had caused. It wasn’t really all that bad, the three of them had often checked over each other’s shoulder to stay in the loop... but Lena was tired of needing Jack to check her work. 

So, Lena was offering her nothing, which left zJack as her current love guru, which was even scarier to say out loud than it was just in her head. 

“Come on, love.” Jack threw his hands in the air. “Just go find her. Sit her down and talk to her. Tell her how you feel.”

“I broke a promise, Jack.” She repeated. Again. “She takes those things seriously”

“Then beg.” He laughed. “You’ll buy the lass some jewelry. Flowers. Chocolate, maybe. And you’ll sleep in the couch for a few nights. But you’ll be taking again.”

“Really?”

“Well, arguing, at first. “ he conceded. “But arguing only goes for so long. Then you’re talking again, which’ll lead to kissing and eventually then to the shagging.”

Kata shuddered. “Please never refer to Cat or I shagging ever again.”

“Fine. Ruin my fun.”

“Gladly, if it means you stay out of my sex life.”

Jack pointed a finger at her. “You need to have a sex life again if I’m to stay out of it.”

She hated that he had a point. “Just... how do I apologize? Really, Jack. I tried talking to her on the phone the other day. She hung up on me.”

“What did you say?”

“I told her that I wanted to see her. That we needed to talk things out.”

He nodded. “Sounds good so far.”

“I said that I missed her. Her and Carter both. That I needed to make things right.”

“Okay.”

Kara sighed. “She asked what I intended. How was I going to make it right.”

Jack covered his face with both hands. “Uh oh.”

“What do you mean by that? What ‘uh oh?’”

“Let me guess the way the rest is going to go, right?” He waited until Kara nodded for him to try. “Cat wanted you to tell her how you were going to fix it all and you said something along the lines of asking her what you could do.”

“Something like that.”

“You didn’t have any answers but to say you’d try harder. Do better. And when that didn’t seem to appease her, you asked her what you could do. Yeah?”

She nodded. 

Jack frowned. “And it went downhill from there?”

“Yeah. She said that I should know what I needed to do and say and if she had to tell me then it wasn’t the same.”

“You disagreed and?”

“She hung up on me. Disconnected the call.” The Kryptonian rubbed at her eyes. “Wouldn’t answer when I tried calling her back. I texted that I was going to go over to see her and she point black told me not to. That the doors were locked.”

Jack chuckled. “At least lesbians have the same to go through as us blokes.”

“What’s that mean?”

“Kata, love... if I’ve learned anything from being married to Lena, it’s that no woman wants to tell you how to make things right. You hafta figure out that and do it. You can’t say you’re going to make things right. Make them right.”

“ it she wants me to stop being Power Girl.”

“Is that what it’s about? Really?”

“Yes.” Kara answered. 

“Well then,” Jack offered. “You can quit. It’s not like they’re paying you anywhere near what you make here. You don’t need the money.”

“It was never about money.”

“I know. But you joining the Department really was a shock, after everything you’d told me and Lena. You can’t really be surprised that it threw a spanner at Cat, can you?”

“But what I’m doing at Team Cadmus is important. The heroes need to be held accountable.”

“And it’s your job to do that?”

“Well, yeah. That’s why Henshaw hired me. Wanted me in the team.”

Jack trolled his eyes. “Before that. Why’d you have to be the one to make everyone else follow the rules?”

She shrugged. “I might be the only one powerful enough that can.”

“So... might makes right?” He day back into his office chair. “How very imperial of you. The Colonists will be drafting a declaration here soon. Freedom from oppression.”

“Jack...”

“You need to tread careful. You just might become that which you’ve been running from.”

“That’s not fair.”

He nodded. “You’re right. Completely unfair. I take it back. None of that’ll help you win you lady love back.”

“What do I do?” She hated the whine that even she could hear in her voice. “I don’t want to lose her.”

“You’ve gotta find an answer that she’ll accept, love. Car needs to believe that she’s important, too.”

“But she is.”

“Not me. Tell her. Make her believe it.”

   
        TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS  
   
>   
EARTH 159  
OCTOBER 2016  
>   
   
She watched sadly as Carter pushed his ice cream sundae away, the majority of the chocolate goodness melting away.  There was some symbolism to that; a metaphor that Cat would know and use to explain everything in a way that a preteen would understand.  Maybe it would be a little bit funny, able to forcefully pull a smile from the morose boy sitting in front of her, refusing to look her in the eye.  Hugs and smiles had been wasted on him.  Ice cream had been a last ditch Hail Mary attempt.   
   
“She doesn’t wear the ring anymore.” He finally offered.  Kara ignored how he used the back of his shirt sleeve to wipe at his nose.  His mother would have scolded him for that.  
   
Kara reached out to cover his hand with her own.  Thankfully, he didn’t pull away.  “I know.”  
   
“How?  You haven’t seen each other in forever.”  
   
She sighed, pushing the remainder of her own frozen treat next to his discarded bowl.  “That doesn’t mean I don’t check on you.  Make sure that you’re okay. Both of you.”  
   
“I know she misses you.  We both do.” Carter sniffed again, but refrained from using his sleeve.  Kara offered him several napkins.  
   
“I miss both you, too, Buddy.” Kara whispered.  “But I made it to today’s recital.  You did great.  And I haven’t missed any of your other school functions.  Right?”  
   
“Just talk to her.  Say you’re sorry.  She’ll forgive you.  I know she will.”  
   
Her mobile device vibrated for possibly the tenth time since she’d taken Carter away from the school assembly.  Kara continued to ignore it.  Since joining the D.E.O. and leading Team Cadmus, she’d been a shitty fiancé to Cat; a piss poor friend to everyone, really, but she wasn’t going to let the boy currently sitting in front of her down any more than she already had.  Kara had requested this time off and she meant to keep the promise.  
   
“I wish it was that simple.”  
   
“It is!” Carter argued loudly.  Several other patrons of the ice cream shoppe looked their way, but quickly turned back to their own business when Kara stared them down. “You’re not trying.”  
   
“Carter…”  
   
“Please.” It nearly destroyed Kara to see him so broken, like his mother and her fighting was destroying his world.  She couldn’t disappoint him any further than she already had.  
   
“Okay.” She promised.  How she was going to keep the vow she was offering him, she had no idea, but there had to be a way.  “I promise to try.  Okay?”  
   
“When?” He demanded.  So much like his mother it was scary.  
   
Kara closed her eyes to think.  “Not today.  Your mom won’t listen to me today.”  
   
“Tomorrow, then.”  
   
She was already shaking her head.  “Carter.  Buddy.  I promised, okay? I don’t break my promises if I can help it.  I said I’d talk to her, and I mean it, but…”  
   
Her words trailed off as the television hanging in the corner of the store jumped off of the inane sitcom that had been playing and the Emergency Broadcast System for greater Manhattan started blaring.  The room quieted as the NBC News logo started playing right before a solemn faced Vicki Vale appeared on screen.  
   
With a feeling of dread, Kara pulled her L-Phone out of her jacket pocket.  As she swiped the touch display to unlock the device, Vale’s started speaking.  
   
“Good evening.  We apologize for interrupting your regularly scheduled programming with this late breaking important news.  At approximately five thirty Eastern Standard Time this afternoon, one hour ago, thirteen United States Embassies across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, were attacked.  At this time, it is…”  
   
“Oh my God.”  Someone somewhere exclaimed aloud, which set off a rush of other adult customers to start talking over the news report.  Kara could have focused on the anchor’s words, but instead chose to focus on the thirteen voicemails and over forty text messages on her L-Phone.  
   
“Kara?”  Carter’s voice was scared.   
   
Setting her L-Phone down on the table, she took both of his hands in hers.  “It’s going to be all right, Buddy.”  
   
“You have to go, don’t you?”  
   
She nodded.  Kara hated to see both fear and disappointment reflected in those eyes. “Yeah.”  
   
“What about Mom?”  
   
“I don’t know.  What say you and I go find out, okay?”  
   
Kara grabbed the melted mess of their sundaes and threw them into the trash receptacles provided.  They weren’t the only ones trying to escape the building, as just about everyone else was making their way out the doors and into the busy streets.  It was already chaos with cars honking and their drivers yelling.  Everyone was in a hurry to be somewhere else, most likely home and with their loved ones.  Kara agreed wholeheartedly.  
   
“Up, up and away?”  Carter asked.  
   
Kara nodded.  “Don’t tell your mother.”  
   
With him smiling at her, Kara quickly scooped the youngster into her arms and lifted off into the sky.  They both ignored the surrounding onlookers who never suspected that Power Girl had been right there next to them, as they started to fly towards the Grant’s apartment.  
   
When her L-Phone started ringing again, she answered this time.  She hated using her Bluetooth while flying.  “Kara here.” She answered.  
   
“Finally.” Henshaw’s voice was suddenly there.  “Where have you been?”  
   
“Busy.  I’m guessing this is about the embassies.”  
   
“You got it.  POTUS is screaming his head off for military action.  Word from the Secretary is that he’s about to address the Nation, let them know that such a well-orchestrated attack of this scale is the gauntlet being thrown down.  It’s gonna be a Declaration of War.”  
   
“Okay?” Kara glanced at Carter, but little Grant was seemingly not paying attention.  “Is he saying we need to do more invasive sweeps domestically?”  
   
“He wants Team Cadmus to carry out retribution.”  
   
Kara paused her flying, hovering high up in the darkening sky.  That caught Carter’s attention.  “No way, Hank.  That’s not the type of accountability we set this team up for.  I get that America has to strike back, but in an equal, appropriate measure.  The President starts throwing Metas into the mix and the whole world is going to respond.”  
   
She started flying again, this time a little faster.  She needed to get Carter home.  Now.  
   
“You think I don’t know that?” Hank spoke.  “This is going to plunge everything into a war beyond anything scale imaginable.  His whole Cabinet is trying to talk some since into the moron.”  
   
For Hank to be calling the President of the United States a moron on what was probably a recorded and monitored line just went to show her just how volatile the whole thing was.   
   
“I’ll be there as soon as can, okay?  
   
“Be quick.”  
   
“Kara?” Carter spoke.  
   
“It’s okay, Buddy.  I’m just talking to my boss.”  Hank wisely kept quiet at her calling him her ’boss’.  
   
“Let me drop Carter off at home and I’ll be right in.  You in New York?”  
   
“Yeah.  No delays.  I need you here now.”  He disconnected the call.  
   
Landing on Cat’s balcony, Kara ignored the rush of nostalgia that wanted to overwhelm her at the action.  She missed her fiancé, but more, she missed being a part of the Grant family.  The occasional afternoon with Carter while his mother avoided her just wasn’t going to work any longer.  Together, they both entered the apartment’s living room.  
   
“Mom.” “Cat” They both called out.  
   
Kara could hear Cat’s heartbeat drawing closer.  Steeling herself for the possibility of the other woman’s anger, Kara tried to keep a non-confrontational stance while Carter darted over to where his mother appeared from the hallway, most likely coming from the master bedroom.  
   
“Why are you back so early?  I thought you were going to a movie and dinner?” Cat’s voice held an odd note as her eyes darted to where Kara stood.   
   
The Kryptonian wasn’t sure what the problem was, not wanting to further alienate Cat, when the sound of another heartbeat… this one going much faster, invaded Kara’s perception.  Not wanting to know, but unable to stop herself, Kara looked towards where their bedroom – Cat’s bedroom, sat.  Her ability allowed her to ignore the walls between.  Idly, she could hear Cat trying to catch her attention, but Kara ignored it all.  
   
David Foster, Carter’s father, was trying to quietly get dressed.  
   
Blinking several times, Kara inhaled through her nose… the scent of sweat and testosterone and sex were obvious.  Her gaze turned to where Cat had gone quiet, hugging Carter to her, as the innocent boy was explaining to his mother that there’s a major emergency happening as they spoke. Kara was sure that Cat was listening, but her gaze never wavered from where Kara stood.  
   
Now that she was looking, she can tell that Cat is terrified.  Kara idly wonders why?  She’d never intentionally harm the woman for anything in the world.  She loves Cat… even if she currently hates Cat right now so much that she almost can’t get the words she needs to say out of her mouth.  
   
“The President is about to declare war on the entire world.  Not joking.” She says when Cat opens her mouth.  “I bet if you check your phone, you’ve got as many missed messages as I do.  Maybe more.”  
   
“What happened?”  
   
At Cat’s inquiry, Kara almost misunderstands.  It takes a moment to realize that she’s referring to the world outside of this apartment; away from Kara’s heartbreak.  The Earth still spins despite Kara needing it to stop for just one damnable minute.  Maybe two.  
   
“I don’t know.  Henshaw’s called me in.  I bet everyone’s being called in.  It’s about to get really bad out there.”  
   
Cat approaches her, Carter pulled along.  Kara watches warily, frozen in place, until the shorter woman reaches out to touch her.  Kara flinches, making Cat hesitate.  
   
“Can I help?”  
   
Kara wants to laugh at the absurdity of the question.  Laugh… or maybe cry, but crying now would be on a scale of when she’d just lost Alex, and there’s no time to lose it when the whole world might need her now.  She can’t spend days sitting on a beach while staring at the ocean… even if that sounds like exactly what Kara wants to do.  
   
Help?   
   
Yeah… that’d be great.  Kara just wonders how.  How when she has to live on an Earth where David Foster had sex with her fiancé.  
   
It had taken so long for Kara to like Adam’s father on Earth Thirty-eight.  One of the primary sources of mental anguish and pain for the Queen of All Media, David had nearly broken Miss Grant when he’d taken Adam away, making the amazing woman second guess herself… to almost give up everything, all for a child that the man would raise to despise his mother.  When Kara had become Supergirl, he had been one of the names her sister had to talk her down from breaking in half.  
   
Literally.  
   
The David Foster of this Earth wasn’t too much better in Kara’s opinion.  Within this reality, he was still the good looking rake that women gravitated towards, against their better judgement.  He still slept with Cat, but on this Earth he didn’t take Adam… Carter, rather.  Didn’t make her choose between her career and her child.  Here, he gracefully bowed out at keeping his son and instead was a weekend type parent, often only seeing Carter one a month or so, though he did attend Carter’s school events... like tonight’s assembly.    
   
Kara still didn’t like him.  And now?  She needed to leave.  Now, she hated him… and Alex wasn’t here to save his life.  
   
“No.  I’m going to go.”  
   
Carter looks over at her then, his eyes wide.  “You never told me when.”  
   
Of course he’d ask that now, his not knowing that his father is in Cat’s bedroom right this moment, finally… blessedly dressed.  Carter, still free from the knowledge of how adults betray and lie and cheat and destroy one another.  To him, Kara had made a promise.  She was in the wrong and had to apologize to make everything right.  To Carter, saying ‘I’m sorry’ was going to put his family back together.  
   
“I know, Buddy.  How about I go save the world and then you and I can discuss it again.  All right?”  
   
He doesn’t look convinced, but finally nods.  Cat observes it all, not knowing that her son was emotionally destroying Kara when her words to keep her promise light up his entire face.  How was she going to back it in a world where she has no Alex, and where the love of her life just destroyed her emotionally?  
   
“Carter.  Why don’t you go to your room and pack a bag.  I’ll get your grandmother to watch you while your mo…” She paused.  “While Kara and I see what’s going on at work, okay Sweetie?”  
   
He nodded to his mother and then jumped over to hug Kara.  “I love you.” He said.  
   
“I love you, too.” That she was able to say that without completely falling apart was nothing short of a Blessing from Rao.  
   
Satisfied that his world was going to be back the way he wanted, maybe very soon, she watched as Carter hugged his Mom before heading down the hallway and into his room.  Thankfully, he closed his door.  
   
“Kara…”  
   
“No.” Kara’s voice was cold.  Ice.  Arctic.  “At least I understand why you took the ring off.”  
   
“Kara, please.” Cat begged.  She never begged.  “It’s not what…”  
   
“Really?” Kara spat.  “Before you continue and make a fool out of yourself, please remember who I am.  What I am.”  
   
“What?” Cat’s face holds only confusion.  Time to remind her, apparently.  
   
“So, you weren’t just fucking Carter’s father in our bed?  Sorry.  Your bed again now?” Cat flinched.  “And before you say no, let me remind you that I have watched him trying to get dressed quietly for the past ten minutes.  Walls hold no secrets from me, remember?”  
   
Cat blushed.  “I…”  
   
“Or that I can smell everything in this apartment?  Like I can smell the bourbon on your breath?  Or that you ate sushi for dinner?  That the lingering aroma of two different colognes mixed with David’s sweat means that today is not the first time he’d been within the apartment?  Or how about that I can smell his sweat on you, Cat?  Or what else I can smell?  Hmmm?”  
   
“Please, Kara.  Not like t…”  
   
“Not like what?” Kara could feel tears falling down her cheeks.  “Not like this?  What ‘this’, Cat?  Not now?  Not here?  I know we were fighting, but not this.  I love you.  I thought you loved me. We were getting married.  You and me and Carter were going to be one big family, right?  I didn’t misunderstand something, right?”  
   
The shorter blonde was hugging her arms around her torso, tears now falling down her own face, as well.  “No.  I just needed…”  
   
“Just needed? Him? Yeah.  Hope you got what you needed from him.  Not me anymore, I suppose.”  
   
Cat seemed to be shrinking in on herself.  Losing that spark that made her Cat.  “I don’t want to lose you.  Davis was a mistake.  I was weak, Kara.”  
   
“Weak?  Rao, Cat!” Kara threw her hands up in the air.  “Weak?  Would you let someone you were interviewing get away with saying something like that?”  
   
“Kara.  I love you.” She cried out.  A different tactic that would’ve been exactly what she wanted to hear before today.  Before fifteen minutes ago.  
   
“I don’t care, Cat.”  
   
“What?” Cat’s voice sounded broken.  Kara could relate… or would have if it wasn’t maybe over.  
   
“I promised Carter I’d apologize.  That we’d talk about these past few months.  Fix things.”  She checked to see where David was hiding.  He had drawn closer to where they both stood, facing one another.  “I guess that’s unnecessary now, huh?  But so I can look in his face and be honest; I’m sorry, Cat.  I screwed up and got caught up in so many things, lost sight of what’s important.  I’m sorry that I let things drag out this long that you stopped loving me.  I’ll regret that forever.”

“I never stopped loving you.” Cat’s voice broke.  
   
Kara took a deep breath.  “Can I at least see Carter one last time to say that I failed?  To let him know it’s not his fault?”  
   
“No, God, please.  Kara… no.  I love you.  I promise… this was a mistake.  David knows it, too.  We knew it was a mistake the second…”  
   
“I don’t care right now.” She interrupted the other woman’s confession.  “I can’t say that I ever will again.”  
   
“Please.”  
   
“I have to go to work.  I guess maybe you do, too.” Kara wiped at her eyes.  “Tell David he can stop hiding.  But tell him to avoid me from now on.  It’ll be better for him if I never see him again.  Better that I don’t hurt Carter by killing his father. I’m serious about this.  I’m not sure that I’d care about the consequences of what I’d do to him.”  
   
“Kara.”  
   
“Goodbye, Cat.” Kara kept through the open balcony doors and jumped into the air.  
   
She flew like the world was ending… and maybe it was.  Or maybe it already had.  Kara couldn’t really decide.  She’d kicked off of Cat’s balcony and zoomed towards the near center of New York City and the secondary headquarters to the Department of Extraordinary Operations (the main center being in Washington, D.C., of course).  Landing on top of the building Kara used the roof’s door to enter the building and made her way down the control room where she was sure to find Director Henshaw.  
   
(( Completed to here on 11-15-2018 – took a break for a couple of days ))  
   
“Power Girl” was the greeting she received upon entering the command center.  Screens of various activity covered the walls, most of them showing the smoldering ruins of various embassies around the world.  Director Henshaw never turned to acknowledge her outside of his initial stating of her codename, instead leaning over an I.T. type person and pointing out something on a computer screen.  
   
“Director.” She responded.  “What can I do to help?”  
   
Still not looking at her, he laughed sardonically.  “Can you fly around the world to rewind time?  Cause that’s about the only thing I can think of to fix this.”  
   
Another technician across the room spoke up.  “Sir, that wouldn’t work.  The phys…:  
   
“It was a joke, Murphy.” Hank barked.  
   
“When’s the President going on?”  Kara asked.  
   
“Countdown on the show starting is fifteen minutes and counting.”  
   
“Is he still…”  
   
The D.E.O. Director cut her off.  “He’s wanting a show of true power.  Something Biblical.”  
   
“Great.” She shook her head as she studied the various television monitors.  “You’ve pulled in the more radical Metas?  Explained things to the various groups and teams?”  
   
“Finished with them about five minutes before you decided to grace us with your presence, Power Princess.”  
   
She hated that nickname.  “You think that POTUS is gonna try and make an Executive Order for Team Cadmus to get involved?”  
   
“I’ll resign first.” Hank said.  The entire room seemed to take a deep breath at the statement.  Kara knew that most of the Agents that were a part of the Department of Extraordinary Operations would walk out right behind their leader.  For that matter, so would she.  
   
“That’s fine and dandy, but what would that accomplish outside of you collecting Unemployment?  He’d just name somebody that doesn’t have your scruples that would order a Meta strike of some type.”  
   
“True, but then we could stop them.”  
   
Kara blinked.  “That would make us traitors.”  
   
He shrugged.  “And what other choice would we have?  An openly Meta involved conflict would destroy everything, wouldn’t it?  You got a better idea?”  
   
“Get Congress to step in.”  
   
Hank Henshaw looked at her like she was stupid. “It’s cute that you think that Congress could act quick enough to stop this in time.  Given a week… maybe a day or two, there’s a miniscule chance that his actions could be halted, but the President wants this done today.  Like, now.”  
   
“I have no idea, then.”  
   
“Which leads me back to my idea.  Could you stop everyone that he might send?”  
   
Kara opened her mouth, but then closed it.  Could she?  Could she actually stop everyone that the President might call upon to exact his lust for retribution?  
   
Team Cadmus would follow her and Henshaw, so they were not considered.  That helped since Megan was a potential threat… and that meant that J’onn would be dangerous.  Kara really didn’t think that the Green Martian would actually be a part of what POTUS wanted, but this was a different person than the one she constantly missed.  
   
Wonder Woman was out.  She might be a warrior, but Kara just couldn’t picture the Amazonian actually killing innocents that such a strike would cause.  Same for Captain Marvel.  There was an almost childlike innocence to the big guy that called out to Kara.   
   
The Big Three were safe.  
   
She started running through the database that the Registration provided.  Kara hated that the List was actually good for something, though she’d never admit it out loud to anyone.  As far as raw power went, Barry as the Flash might have a shot, but only due to his access to the Speed Force.  He could beat her to the target and could deal a large amount of damage to the first few, but Kara would outlast him.  No, the real danger was from Zatana.  
   
“I can really only think of one that we need to contain under worse case scenarios:  Zatana.”  
   
Hank looked intrigued.  “Not Wonder Woman?  Or the Flash?”  
   
Kara shrugged.  “I can’t see Diana agreeing.  Same with the Martian Manhunter and Captain Marvel. It just goes against what we know of them.  Flash wouldn’t do it.  And I really don’t think Zatana would do it, either, but I don’t know her that well… and her power is magical, and magic is just about the only thing on this Earth that I don’t have a counter for.”  
   
The Director sighed.  “And Stewart?  Our Green Lantern?”  
   
“I’d have to take the Ring.”  
   
“You can do that?”  
   
Kara nodded slowly.  “That Power Ring is mine for the asking.  It wants the strongest will and no one beat me.  Not here.  But it would go against the truce with Oa.  It would be a war on a completely different scale.”  
   
“Jeezus.”  
   
“Exactly.  And while John was a Marine; God and Country and all that, he understands the stakes that throwing a Meta into the middle of something like this would cause.  He won’t do it.”  
   
“So my plan is the best plan, then.”  
   
“Yeah.  Maybe.” She offered.  “But I’m just one.  If a group of five or more all struck at the same time, I’d be unable to stop all of them.  With my team, we could stop probably seven attacks.  Maybe eight.  Throw in those that I think would join us in being traitors… probably any attack that the President wanted could be prevented, but the days of America being the top of the political food chain would be over.  
   
“I’d go underground.  Wonder Woman would go back to wherever she calls home.  The Martian Manhunter can vanish like no one else, save Megan, who’d do the same thing.  Stewart can leave for the stars.  The Guardians would love that.  Not sure about Marvel, but who knows?  I think that his refusing the List was in case something like this ever came up.  All of the major powers would vanish.  Some of the lesser ones might even jump ship.”  
   
“You think they might move outside of the United States?”  
   
“Sure.  There’s a lot of real estate out in the world that would welcome some superheroes with open arms.  I can think of three large nations right off the top of my head that would offer some pretty sweet incentives for even one or two of the lesser powers to immigrate to.  And almost all of the smaller nations would be receptive, as well.”  
   
Hank smiled at her.  “You get all that?” He suddenly spoke.  
   
“All of it.”  
   
From behind the Director, a screen that had been showing the U.S Embassy in Iran… or what was left of it, blinked and instead now showed Secretary of Defense Samuel Lane looking on.  He was sitting at a large table with several other members of the Cabinet.  
   
“You need anything else?”  
   
At Henshaw’s question, the doppelgänger of the man that once tortured her Aunt shook his head.  “I think we got all we needed to get POTUS to see reason.  And if not, we are sending out this to the people necessary to stop him, if necessary.”  
   
“Keep me in the loop?” Her immediate boss asked his boss.  
   
“Of course, Director.  And thank you.”  
   
“My pleasure, sir.” Hank responded.  “We’re out.”  
   
When the screen went dark, Director Henshaw turned to look at Kara.  “Sorry about that.  I’d been saying almost exactly what you just said to them since this whole debacle started, but they didn’t believe me.  I convinced them to let me question you so that they’d get the perspective of… well, the most powerful super we have.”  
   
She nodded.  Whatever worked.  “So, what now?”  
   
“We wait.  If the Secretary gets the job done, it’s back to business as usual.  We still have a few individual Metas that aren’t wanting to play ball.  We get you and the rest to go convince them that it’s better to sign on.”  
   
“And if he can’t get the job done?”  
   
“Then all Hell breaks loose and we find out just how many favors we have to burn through to not be labeled as traitors and find ourselves living in country where the Taco Bell menu is different.”  
   
Kara had a great retort, but at that moment the telltale sound of Cat Grant’s heartbeat entered the building.  She definitely wasn’t ready for round two, so she excused herself from Hank and the D.E.O. and explained that she was going to patrol the Eastern Coast of the United States… maybe to help with any craziness that the thought of war might instill in the general public.   
   
She escaped the building just as Cat made it to the command center.  
   
What was she going to do now?  
   
        TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS  
   
>   
EARTH 159  
NOVEMBER 2016  
>   
   
The Cat Grant of Earth Thirty-eight had once tried to explain to Kara the folly of being in the public eye; to having to deal with the intense scrutiny that being famous and having every decision one made or had made for them scrutinized to the tiniest of details and then splashed across any and every publication that thought that running a story about it would sell.  Whether Miss Grant had meant the warning to be for Kara (on the off chance that Kara might betray her and sell some juicy secrets) or for Supergirl (because… hello?), she was never truly sure, but Kara on Earth Thirty-eight had kept as far out of the spotlight as she could.   
   
Unfortunately, here on Earth One Hundred Fifty-nine, Kara had chosen to be somebody.  Here, she was famous; as both Kara and as Power Girl.  Kara Starr was one-third of the ruling body of SL-Corp Global, which currently was only behind LexCorp and Wayne Industries in, well, everything.  Power Girl, on the other hand, was considered the most powerful person on planet Earth.  That Kara Starr and Power Girl were the same person… a fact that the entire world knew, just made every little thing about her even more interesting to everyone on Earth that wasn’t her.  
   
So, it took only about a week after the jerk of a President was Impeached by Congress that the news cycle got bored with his political screw ups and decided to find the next big story.  Something juicy.  And lo and behold – someone somewhere talked about how Cat Grant, former CNN News Anchor and current Public Relations for the Department of Extraordinary Operations, apparently was no longer engaged to Kara Starr, also known as Power Girl.  
   
And that was good enough.  Good story.  Nicely done.   
   
But investigative reporters are never satisfied with something so cut and dry.  Kara refused to talk.  Cat refused to talk.  No one dared to ask Carter.  So, Kara had no idea who knew enough to put the Third Estate on the right track, but after only three days of her seeing their heartbreak spread across all media all day every day, the truth that Cat had slept with her ex was suddenly on the front page of everything that could be considered a news source of any kind.  
   
It was a nightmare.  
   
Kara was just thankful that Team Cadmus had apparently gotten the message across to the superhuman and alien community that accountability was key, and anyone refusing to walk the straight and narrow would be punished.  It was a hard lesson for many, but it was finally accepted.  And with that part of the D.E.O.’s charter handled, it was time to decide on the next project:  
   
The Super Serial Killer…  
   
Or helping the S.T.A.R. Labs catalogue the Multiverse and maybe eventually find Alex.  
   
She wasn’t too ashamed to admit that since there hadn’t been any new cases of the Super Serial Killer in quite some time that Kara went directly towards finding her sister… which was how Kara currently found herself once again hiding at the Los Angeles location of SL-Corp Global and talking to her best friend.  
   
“How many freaking Earths are there?” Lena tossed the L-Pad she’d been reading over onto her desk, apparently unconcerned that said action caused papers to scatter, not to mention almost overturning her long cold cup of coffee.”  
   
Kara shared a look with Jack before answering.  “I heard from a Earth One Doctor Wells that there were fifty-three Earths in the Multiverse.”  
   
“Fifty-three?” Lena laughed.  “No chance.  We’ve already scoped out at least seventy different vibrational variances.  And that was just on the linear.”  
   
“I know.” Kara sipped at her own coffee, still warm from her use of heat vision.  “He was too busy looking one dimensionally.  He never considered looking up or down.”  
   
“Or left to right.  Side to side.” Jack offered.  “And he was the best you could come up with?”  
   
“Not me.  Flash from Earth One.  I think that Wells was from Earth Two.”  
   
“Idiots.  I think Wells from every Earth are all idiots.” Lena leaned back in her desk chair.  Kara just nodded along with her bee eff eff.   
   
Jack glanced at the L-Pad he had been referencing from.  “Well, the Earth Gate…”  
   
“Are you really calling it the Earth Gate?” Kara asked.  
   
Jack nodded happily.  “Cisco built it and he was clearly inspired by the old Stargate television show.”  
   
“I thought it was a movie.”  
   
He considered the Earth Thirty-eight native carefully.  “On this Earth, it was a movie AND a television series.  And while the movie had a Stargate that went to one world across the universe, the show was able to go to different worlds.”  
   
“So, Earth Gate.” Lena said disgustedly.  She hated cute names for scientific discoveries.   
   
“How many have we made first contact with?” Kara paused before pointing her finger at Jack. “And if you make even one Star Trek reference, I’m going to destroy all of you Beatles memorabilia, got it?”  
   
He nodded quickly.  “Fine.”  
   
Lena answered instead.  “Fourteen Earths already had Breaching slash Portal technology and recognized our Earth essentially knocking on their door.  Kord Industries is currently in negotiation with those Earths to see what we can offer one another.”  
   
“Nice.”  
   
Lena agreed with a smile.  “Another four had their own version of Cisco or someone of similar ability.  In those cases, we kept the interaction to a minimum.”  
   
Kara drank the last of her coffee.  Deciding she wanted more, she stood and went to the carafe that was sitting on the table next to Jack.  “Any others?” She asked while pouring another cup.  
   
When neither Jack not Lena said anything, Kara turned to look at them.  “What aren’t you telling me?”  
   
It was Jack that answered.  “Once we started sending out the signal, we had eleven Earths contact us directly.”  
   
“That should be good, right?”  When neither spoke, Kara asked again. “Right?”  
   
“None of the ones that contacted us were… well, they were not nice.” Jack offered.  
   
“What?”  
   
Lena stood and walked around to wear Kara was still standing.  “Three had suffered devastating wars.  The people were mutated and radiation sickness was rampant.  We have currently cut off all contact with them.”  
   
“There’s some discussion among those in the know about whether we can help them down the road.  Offer aid and medical services.   Supplies and the like.”  
   
Kara understood.  “Okay.  That’s not that bad.  Horrible, I mean, but why the secrecy.”  
   
“Two consisted of darker versions of out superheroes.  Once we realized that, we barred them from interacting with us.” Lena continued.  “Another four were too different to necessarily be of any use.”  
   
“Why?”  
   
Jack coughed, gaining Kara’s attention.  “One Earth was ruled by a planet called Daxam.  Not good at all.  They seemed okay at first, but they were adamant that an act of good faith was required.”  
   
“Handing over all aliens.” Lena jumped in.  
   
“So that was a no.” Jack finished.  “Another Earth had a….”  
   
“What are you hiding?” Kara interrupted, her voice hard.  “You guys know that I trust you.  If the Earths weren’t worth dealing with, then fine.  But that’s not what’s going on.  Just tell me.”  
   
Lena placed her hand on Kara’s shoulder.  “We’re fairly certain that you original Earth… Earth Thirty-eight contacted us.”  
   
She felt all of the air leave her lungs.  Both Jack and Lena were leaning over her, carefully checking to make sure she was all right.  Apparently she’d sat down at some point, but Kara couldn’t actually recall ever moving or sitting down.   
   
“Are you sure?”  
   
“No.” Jack offered softly.  “With how much so many Earths have in common, we can’t be one hundred percent sure, but Cisco did say that their frequencies matched yours quite a bit.”  
   
“But not exactly?”  
   
“No.” He answered.  “But there’s a prevailing theory that you’ve become acclimated, for lack of a better word, to this Earth and you vibrational frequency is changing to match here more than there.”  
   
She took a deep breath.  “What happened?  With the maybe Earth Thirty-eight?”  
   
“President Luthor demanded to speak with our Lex.” Lena offered.  “He said that he’d learned to only trust versions of himself.”  
   
“Makes sense.” Kara sighed.  
   
“So, my brother and Director Henshaw and a few others from the D.E.O. met with him and his people.” Lena smiled.  “We explained about the Registration and the List, both things that President Luthor had started on his Earth.”  
   
“Did he ask about me?  About Supergirl?”  
   
“He didn’t.” Lena continued to rub circles along Kara’s back.  “My brother explained that there was no Superman.  Never had been.  And that through the Green Lantern Corp, we knew that Krypton had been destroyed centuries ago.  That satisfied my brother’s doppelgänger and the meeting ended not long after.”  
   
“Just like that?”  
   
Jack laughed.  “Of course not.  Their Lex and his subordinates all wanted to open trade, but we said no since our world had superheroes.  We thanked them for the offer, but said we’d rather not.”  
   
“He wasn’t thrilled by our Earth refusing,” Lena added.  “But he understood that each Earth needed to stand on its own merits.  He did warn us of a few different Earths that should be avoided.  We copied those Earth frequencies to look at carefully.”  
   
Lena looked at her husband.  Jack nodded.  “We were given a photograph of you and your sister.  President Luthor said you were escaped convicts and had to be turned over to him if discovered.”  
   
“Of course he did.” Kara muttered.  
   
“He’s gone now.” Lena tried to sound supportive.  “We’ve locked that Earth’s signature down.  If anyone from there tries to enter here, we’ll know immediately.  You’re never going to have to deal with them again.  You hear me?  Never.”  
   
Kara smiled through the tears that had begun to fall.  “Thank you.  You’re so good to me.”  Both Lena and Jack embraced the Kryptonian then, squeezing her as hard as they could.  They all stayed like that until Kara had cried as much as she could.  
   
Sitting back to wipe her eyes, she sighed wistfully.  “I wonder how the people I left behind are doing.”  
   
Jack stood and stepped back a bit.  “You’re forgetting how much time has passed.”  
   
Kara tilted her head at him.  “I figured time moved at different speeds for some Earths.  That’s why this Earth was a few years behind where my Earth was.”  
   
“That might be.” Lena looked at her friend.  “President Luthor has been their POTUS for five terms.  He’s effectively the elected King of the United States for his world.  No one wants to run against him.”  
   
“Twenty years.”  
   
Lena nodded.  “Cat Grant passed away three years ago.  I know that both of her sons still live, but not much else.”  
   
“How?”  
   
“Our Cat Grant was at the meeting.”  
   
“WHAT?!?” Kara stood.  Both Jack and Lena gave her some room.  “You let her anywhere near that monster?!?”  
   
“Kara.  Calm down love.” Jack spoke softly.  
   
“Kara!” Lena cried out.  Distantly, Kara realized that she was floating off of the floor and her eyes were surely glowing, but what did they expect?  They put the love of her life in the crosshairs of an evil Lex Luthor!!  They had no idea of the danger this Earth would’ve been in if things had gone down differently.  
   
“Why?”  
   
When Lena and Jack continued to just look at her. Kara truly began to lose her cool.  “I’m serious, guys.  That Luthor is dangerous.  Horribly so.”  
   
“Cat was safe.” Jack finally said.  “She went as the P.R. for the D.E.O.”  When Kara heard that, she closed her eyes and prayed to Rao for patience.  “And why do you care now, anyway?”  
   
She opened her eyes.  “What?”  
   
He nodded.  “Cat cheated on you.  You two aren’t engaged anymore.  Why do you care?”  
   
“Jack.” Kara answered slowly.  “Being angry at someone isn’t reason enough to want them hurt or dead.  She had no business being there.”  
   
“She thought she did.” Lena offered.  “And there was no reason to deny her request.”  
   
Kara started to respond, when she realized that there was nothing she could say that would get through to them.  Not regarding Cat.  It had been Lena, and to a smaller but no less important part of Jack, that had metaphorically pulled Kara off the ledge regarding Cat breaking her heart.  The female Luthor-Spheer had wanted to track the former CNN Newswoman down and beat her within an inch of her life for what she’d done.  Kara had barely convinced her to not go, saying that cat wasn’t worth it.  
   
And secretly, Kara didn’t want Cat hurt… and Carter didn’t deserve for there to be any more drama.  He’d been devastated when she’d told him that she and his mother were taking a break.  He had looked so much older than his decade of years when she’d said that.  
   
Realizing that she would get no understanding from her two best friends regarding this conversation, Kara hugged Lena first, and then Jack.  Both fell silent at the gesture.  
   
“I have to know.”  
   
Lena’s face fell, understanding immediately.  “Oh, Kara, no.  Don’t do this.  It won’t end well.”  
   
Whether Jack got what she intended to do or not, he wisely stayed quiet, allowing for his wife to try and talk to her.  Kara wasn’t going to change her mind, so it really made no difference at all.  “I have to, Lee.  Maybe this will give me the resolution I need.”  
   
“Or you’ll take her back.” Lena said reproachfully.  
   
Kara nodded.  “Maybe.  I love her, Lee.  I can’t help it.”  
   
“I know you do.  I’ve always known it.  Two different Earths and you loved her on both.  If I sent you to another Earth, you’d probably find her there, as well.”  
   
“I’m sorry.”  
   
Lena shrugged and then was hugging Kara again.  “If you forgive her then I’ll forgive her, too, but I will never stop watching her.  I won’t let her get away with this again.”  
   
“It’s not a forgone conclusion that we’ll fix things.”  
   
“We’ll see.” Lena offered before releasing her.  
   
“God speed.” Jack offered.  Kara offered one last smile to both of them before she took to the skies.  
   
Since the news of the dissolution of their engagement, Kara and Cat had avoided one another in almost every aspect of their intertwined lives… although Cat only kept her distance because Kara had demanded it from the other woman.  Truthfully, her once-fiancé was a masterful appointment regarding the cat and mouse (pun definitely not intended) game they played.  No matter how hard she had tried to hide from the smaller woman, cat always could find her.  
   
It was like she had some type of tracking device on her.  
   
Cat wanted to talk.  Cat wanted to explain.  She wanted to ask for forgiveness again and again, constantly trying to find some way to work through her cheating on Kara.  Of breaking the Kryptonian’s heart into several billion pieces.  And Kara wanted to give her those opportunities.  She wanted Cat to explain.  To help Kara to understand.  But Kara had to get through the anger first.  Nothing could be salvaged if every time she looked into the eyes of the love of her life she wanted to break something… something unbreakable.   
   
Rao knew that Kara had tried, but the rage had felt so much like the experience with Lord’s red Kryptonite that she knew no progress would get done.  She’d taken to avoiding everything that was Cat.  Of Cat.  About Cat.  Even Carter had to be held off for a little bit. Otherwise, Kara wasn’t sure what might’ve happened.  
   
Cat eventually listened to Kara telling her that space was all that she would accept for her.  That until Kara could get around Cat’s betrayal at the base level, nothing positive would come from trying to talk things out.  Kara had told her that they needed to take a break, and if when Kara was willing to discuss the break maybe being over, if they still wanted to try, then they could talk.  
   
They both hated the idea of being apart… Cat maybe more so than Kara, but it was the only thing they could do outside of calling the whole relationship off completely.  
   
And it wasn’t like their lives didn’t keep them busy.  The President was trying to remain in office after being Impeached by Congress… and there was the coming War with the rest of the world.  Nothing outside of a miracle from on High was going to stop that from happening.  Thirteen Embassies had been bombed; destroyed completely, with hundreds of American lives lost.  Meta involvement had been paused, but the President had still struck back… and he’d struck back hard.  Military forces had appropriately responded against each country that had attacked the United States.  And while such a show of force was usually expected as being the proper retaliation, the rest of the world continued to condemn America.   
   
Kara and Team Cadmus had incorporated the other hero teams into their own.  What the Justice League had softly attempted, the D.E.O. had successfully created.  Team Cadmus now consisted of forty members, each team answerable to the Secretary of Defense.  It wasn’t perfect.  Not yet.  But public approval regarding superheroes was at a height not seen since right after the Justice Society of America had first revealed themselves to the American public… collateral damage was at the lowest in nearly three decades.  Things stateside were great.   
   
Now, if they could just get international relations back on track.  
   
Cat was on the go constantly, offering interviews to the various news organizations everywhere, as well as keeping track of the various Metas and other hero types, ensuring that what the D.E.O. was promoting was the message that the people were getting.  
   
And Kara, both as herself and as Power Girl was always on the go.  Being a hero type had never been a walk in the park, but without the downtime that being with Cat and Carter had provided to Kara’s mental health, the slack had been taken up by Lena and Jack, as well as those heroes and support staff that had not been a part of hers and Cat’s life together.  
   
(( Completed to here by 11-19-2018 ))                                     
   
Kara loved Cat.  Through this separation and argument; the fighting over her being a near full-time hero versus being a part of the Grant family.  And finding Alex.  Kara would never be fully whole until she knew Alex was okay. But better yet, was back with Kara where she belonged.  There were so many things that they had to work on.  And it was supposed to be together.  Cat sleeping with her ex had just thrown everything completely out of whack.  
   
Why had she placed herself in danger like that?  How could Cat be so reckless with her safety?  Kara knew why, though.  Cat Grant was never going to play it safe.  She was never going to sit back and let others find things out before she could.  It wasn’t in her to be left behind… no matter the cost.  
   
Before she knew it, Kara was flying over Atlanta and towards the house that she and Cat had purchased.  It was to be their home.  A quick scan throughout the building showed that it was empty.  She had expected that; Carter was in school, so he and his mother should still be in New York.  Kara began to turn towards the north east but something caught her attention… the prevailing aroma of…  
   
It was Thanksgiving.  How had she missed it being a Holiday?  For that matter, why hadn’t Lena and Jack been celebrating?  
   
But Thanksgiving meant that Cat and Carter were most likely with Katherine Grant; maybe other friends and family.  But worse, David Foster had an open and standing invite to celebrating Thanksgiving and other holidays with Carter, so the chance that he might be where Cat and Carter currently were seemed to almost kill Kara’s desire to talk to her once fiancé.  There’d be discussions about anything today; not Cat putting herself in harm’s way… and definitely not about them.  
   
Dejectedly, Kara decided to head in to the SL-Corp Global home office to maybe get some work done.  Something maybe normal.  No need for Power Girl to be out in the cold while the rest of America enjoyed the holiday.  
   
        TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS  
   
>  
EARTH 159  
DECEMBER 2016  
>

“Tonight on ‘Point - Counter Point’ we’re going to discuss a topic that has stayed in headlines for months.” Vicki Vale announced to the viewers across the world. “Several Meta Humans and recognized American-Aliens across the Nation have stepped forward with accusations of their Civil Liberties being ignored by the D.E.O., as well as their newly formed Team Cadmus. With specific events being attributed towards Kara Starr, Power Girl. 

“With me tonight to discuss these troubling accusations, I have the former Chairman of the Justice Society of America, the Blue Beetle, who is one of the more outspoken against Team Cadmus and rays charismatic leader, Miss Starr.”

The television quickly jumped from Vicki’s bright smile to the blue costumed hero, relaxed as he sat in the studio chair. “Thank you for having me, Vicki.”

Back to the blonde reporter. “And for the counter point and in favor of the Department of Extraterrestrial Operations, we welcome the newly appointed Director of Public Relations for the D.E.O., Cat Grant, via satellite.”

The camera flickered to an image of Cat (looking great, as always) sitting in her office in Atlanta. “Good evening, Vicki. Glad to be here.”

The screen split three ways, with Vicki Vale in the middle and Cat on the right and the Blue Beetle on the left. 

The host started speaking again. “And as a special treat tonight, I’ve asked Nightwing, the once ally to the Batman, to join us tonight.” The former vigilante known as Nightwing suddenly was on the screen, though he was mostly hidden in shadows.

“Miss Vale.” He acknowledged. 

“Our viewers should all be aware that the Jersey Bat, later named the Batman by former Lolice Commissioner James Gordon, was forced into retirement by Team Cadmus and...”

“Now hold on, Vicki.” Cat interrupted. “Team Cadmus never forced the Batman to retire. He was offered a chance to be legitimized by the Federal Government. He refused that offer and su-“

“You demanded his identity.” The Blue Beetle responded hotly. 

Cat never missed a beat. “And subsequently chose, of his own accord, to no longer participate as a hero instead of Registering on the List. Something both Nightwing and Blue Beetle have done, in accordance of the Law.”

Kara sat back and continued to watch Cat defend the Department and the Team and her. She hated that it was necessary for Cat to constantly go on these types of programs, explaining that accountability was a necessary evil. 

And it was necessary...

Right?

Merry Christmas. 

 

>   
EARTH 159  
JANUARY 2017  
>   
   
“Current number of Earths catalogued sits at ninety-eight.” Doctor Martin Stein voiced aloud for the rest of the room to be informed.  That everyone there already knew the number was irrelevant, it had to be spoken so that all of the recording devices could document these proceedings for future reference.  The people in this room and a part of this meeting might very well change the direction that the Earth would follow from this point forward.  
   
Curtis Holt sighed as he removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.  “I still think that fifty-two is the base line.  Any other Earths fond are aberrations from timeline alterations and should be classified as such.”  
   
That Holt was so much like the Harrison Wells of Earth One, Kara wanted to slap him on the back of his head.  Is theory held some weight, no matter how much she wished that it didn’t, but the majority decision of the Transdimensional Project had decided that all Earths, whether a focus point or just a variant timeline, would be put on the catalogue.  
   
“Fifty-two might have been the starting number, but that’s not…”  
   
“One would have been the starting number.” Caitlin Snow interrupted Ted Kord.  “Maybe there was an event of some kind that caused the Mulitiverse to form.”  
   
Kara shared a look with Director Henshaw.  This many big brains trapped in a room trying to actually accomplish the impossible always led to raised voices and frayed nerves.   
   
“What kind of event could cause something like that?”  
   
William Magnus chucked.  “God, maybe.”  
   
The entire room scoffed at the mention of a deity being the source of all things.  Science had always had a hard relationship with Religion.  Even Krypton had eventually bene forced to push the worship of Rao to nothing more than pageantry and ceremony, rather than being the focus of life.  Science was paramount… and she wondered if her home world might have had a different destiny if the second option had been chosen.  
   
“Be that as it may,” Doctor Stein continued in an attempt to prevent any more tangents.  “We now have working treaties and inter-dimensional resource slash knowledge exchanges in place with fourteen different Earths.”  
   
“In addition to those Earths, eight other realities are willing to discuss opening a dialogue with our Earth for future cooperation.” Jack spoke up from where he was sitting at the table.  “The only real sticking point is the various Trademarks, Copyrights and ownership Patents that such an exchange creates for all Earths involved.”  
   
Lucius Fox of Wayne Industries agreed.  “It is also a concern about the histories and lives of our other selves on these Earths.  Privacy rights have the potential of being violated left and right.”  
   
“How so?”   At Jack’s question, Mister Fox opened the briefcase in front of him and passed out several pages to many of the people around the table.  Kara leaned over Lena and Jack’s shoulder to read what was on the paper.  
   
“Talia Wayne, wife to my employer… Mister Bruce Wayne, was recently outed as the daughter of the terrorist, Ra’s Al-Ghul.  This was a private, family matter.  A secret that Mister Wayne helped his wife keep.  The recent interaction with Earth…” He paused to look at his notes. “Earth Nineteen and Selena Kyle-Wayne, widow of that reality’s Bruce Wayne, took exception to the relationship on our world and let the information out.”  
   
“But it might not have been true.” Caitlin offered.  
   
Lucius Fox nodded.  “True.  We’ve already documented quite a number of differences between the Earths.  Different marriages, different politicians.  Different histories.  But it’s not those differences we need to police, but the similarities.”  
   
“I know that a lawyer friend in Boston was talking about convictions getting looked at again.” Cisco Ramone joined the conversation.  “Laurel said that several notable cases that had different outcomes on different Earths are being used as a reason for new trials.”  
   
“And that doesn’t even take into account lost loved ones.  Or old feuds.” Lucius added.  “What’s to stop a double from one Earth destroying the lives of enemies on another Earth?”  
   
Secretary of Defense Sam Lane spoke up.  “Mister Fox is right.  There’s rumbling everywhere about this type of thing.  The entirety of our political landscape is different than so many others, but we haven’t discovered the cause as of yet.”  
   
“President Kennedy survived the Texas assassination attempt.” Kara spoke up.  When everyone turned to look at her, she continued.  “I can’t say for sure why, although I have my suspicions, but in almost every other reality, JFK died.”  
   
“Really?” Lena asked from beside Kara.  
   
He Kryptonian nodded.  “I’ve checked.  Quietly.  Since I’m not originally from this Earth, I had to study your history pretty hard to blend in.  The main points are the Justice Society revealing themselves after World War Two and President Kennedy surviving.  There are tons of smaller things here and there, but those two make all the difference.”  
   
“How?” Secretary Lane asked.  
   
“This is all speculation, okay?”  She waited until he nodded.  “So, this Earth looks like it could have been Earth One except that you never had the Legends.”  
   
“And who were these Legends?” Doctor Stein asked.  
   
“You were one, for starters.”  She smiled at his shocked look.  “A Time Master from way into the future recruited a bunch of superheroes and villains to try and change a really bad future.  During their adventures, they went back in time and caused the Justice Society to break up and vanish, never revealing themselves to the American people.”  
   
“And them not coming out changed things?” Lex asked from the corner where he had been quietly observing.  
   
“Earth One had superheroes, but they stayed hidden.  Green Arrow was actually the first to really make a public spectacle of himself.  Him and his band of heroes made big waves.  Flash came next after the Particle Accelerator exploded.”  
   
“So why didn’t the Legends form?”  
   
Kara took a deep breath.  “I think I stopped them from forming.”  
   
The room started asking her various ‘whys’ and ‘how’s’ that she eventually held up her hands to request silence.  It took a moment, but eventually everyone realized that Kara couldn’t answer anything if no one would give her the opportunity.  
   
“I think me just being here.  I never learned why the Time Master chose who he did, or what the ultimate end goal was for that team.  Maybe me just being here made the change without any conscious choice on my end.”  
   
“Did you do anything?”  
   
Kara laughed at her teammate.  “Living here could have done it.  Buying a sandwich on a Tuesday that caused the person in line behind me to not bump into the woman he was going to marry.  Their child was destined to be in a car accident that killed the mother of a boy that grows up to become a super villain that tries to destroy all life on Earth.”  She paused.  “Or not.”  
   
“I get your point.” Holt sighed.  
   
“Superheroes were everywhere when my sister and I arrived.” She offered.  “The change had already happened and I have no reason to know that it was me, but I can say that me being here has changed your reality, but without me vanishing at my point of arrival and creating a time variance, there is absolutely no way to know for sure.”  
   
“And I don’t think it was Kara.” Jack said.  “The cities from her Earth and the Earths closer to hers are named differently.  Those names came from way before the Justice Society formed.”  
   
Lena nodded.  “Time travel is something that we all have discussed since we began dealing with the Multiverse.  They both seem like they should go hand in hand, but they don’t.  We can interact with a different Earth, which changes theirs and our present and into our collective futures… but if we start trying to manipulate our Earth’s past, then we either create new variances…”  
   
“Or rewrite the current reality.” Cisco finished for her.  
   
“Flashpoint.” Kara supplied.  The messed up reality that Earth One Barry was a story that Kara had shared with almost everyone in the room.  No one wanted to chance the consequences of what might be the cost of making any type of change.  
   
“So… any other business?” Jack asked.  
   
“What about Alex?” Kara asked after no one else spoke up.  
   
Magnus answered.  “We’ve been able to calculate the amount of vibrational variance you possess now versus the first reading we took some months ago.  Lex and I…”  
   
“I helped.” Cisco interjected.  Magnus just gave the shorter man a look.  
   
“And Cisco.  We’ve eliminated our Earth’s changes that your body has adapted to give us what we believe is your true frequency.” He paused.  “I’ll say here that the meeting with President Luthor and his Earth matched the frequency we believe is yours.”  
   
“So, they were home, huh?”  Kara stated softly.  
   
“No.” Lena hugged her.  “We’re your home.  And when we find your sister, that’ll be home.”  
   
Magnus continued.  “Based on that frequency, we have begun tracing a line that has jumped through several Earths of the Multiverse.  In two directions, I might add.”  
   
At Kara’s uncomprehending look, he smiled.  “The path you both traveled to get here, as well as the path Alex Danvers is now taking.”  
   
“She’s moving?”  
   
Jack nodded.  “We think she’s trying to get back to this reality.”  
   
“Can we help her?  Maybe send out a signal?  Like a flare or something?”  
   
Lex stood and moved towards the table.  “No.”  At Kara’s questioning gaze, he finished the thought.  “Your Earth is looking for her, and you as well.  If my doppelgänger hasn’t already figured out the vibrational frequency of his reality and is tracking the two of you just as we are doing to find your sister, I’ll eat Jack’s cooking as punishment.”  
   
“Hey!”  
   
Kara smiled.  Lex looked satisfied, so that was apparently his intent.  “We’re trying to determine the equation by which your sister is choosing realities to visit and in what order.  If we can figure out the pattern by which she’s making her choices, then we can predict where she’ll be next and then intercept her.”  
   
“But the device was damaged.” Kara offered.  
   
“Maybe.”  Cisco offered in support.  “Maybe not.  We’ve come up with a few different variations of a transporter like you described and tried seeing how well they would work after being hit, as you relayed the events.  The three times we got any type of reaction like you said happened… the device wasn’t damaged, but the breach went back a few Earths.”  
   
“Like a rewind button.” Lena explained.  
   
“Exactly.” Lex took up the thread again.  “But if Alex didn’t realize that, then she probably jumped right over coming back into this Earth and moved on to the next one.  She doesn’t realize that she needed to turn around.”  
   
The various scientists and persons necessary for the meeting to take place continued to discuss the various pros and cons to continuing the discovery of different Earths across the Multiverse.   
   
Fox continued to push for higher security and possible legislation regarding anything and everything brought over from another Earth, even going so far as to have the Government strictly police all requests for possible inter-dimensional immigration.  The potential fallout of multiple versions of the same person within a single reality was too scary to imagine.  
   
Both Luthor-Spheers and Lex pushed for intellectual properties to be carefully monitored and maintained to prevent a possible upheaval of industry within the various realities.  Who could say what was justifiably owned and by whom when faced with a different creator… or worse, the same creator, but a different legal owner?  It was a nightmare that Kara hadn’t considered before and, to her knowledge, her friends from Earth One hadn’t had to deal with… or maybe they had, but it had never been discussed with her.  
   
Eventually, the meeting was called to an end.  No one was entirely satisfied with what was finally decided, but everyone had made enough concessions that no one could legitimately say that any one side got more out of it than another.  
   
Kara just wanted her sister.  Needed Alex.   
   
Ever since Kara had decided that she and Cat needed to talk things out, to see what could be done so that they could possibly move forward, the older woman had decided to make herself scarce from Kara’s life.  Sure, the Kryptonian still talked to Carter over L-Chat and on telephone calls, but all attempts at meeting with his mother was avoided… and Kara would never intentionally get the young boy involved in their adult problems.  
   
No, Carter was a brief ray of hope, though Kara felt like maybe the window for a happily ever after with Cat and Carter Grant was dwindling away.  Lena said it was probably for the best, while Jack thought that Kara should muscle her way into a face-to-face with Cat and hash everything out as quickly as possible… and then make with the lady kisses.  
   
Thanksgiving had been a no go.  Kara had tried Christmas, but cat had taken Carter on an impromptu vacation somewhere secret that even he didn’t know the destination of.  Kara had considered taking Jack’s advice then, but the underlying terror that Cat had not gone without companionship had kept her from flying after them… and, again, Kara couldn’t slash wouldn’t ask Carter.   
   
New Year’s Eve and Day had been the next to consider, but the President had finally succumbed to the political pressure from every side and stepped down.  The entire world had watched as the supposed Leader of the Free World had been forced to resign while in the middle of a war with almost the entirety of Eastern Europe and Western Asia.  
   
Kara had almost considered involving herself in the international conflict after Iraq executed four American reporters that were trying to uncover health violations against children in that country.  The four were beheaded on live television… just days before POTUS turned a shit storm of a country over to the Vice President.   
   
Hopefully, the newly named President, Susan Braydon, would save the world.  
   
But Cat was now almost always in Washington, D.C. in her capacity as Director of Public Relations for the Department of Extraordinary Operations.  The need for the Metas to be kept within a strict guideline of staying within the American borders and out of international politics was never more important that it was right now, and Cat, no matter how much Kara wished otherwise, was needed to present the proper public face to the American public, as polls consistently revealed that John Q was seriously leaning in favor of Meta involvement to resolve the coming world conflict.  
   
Days passed.  Team Cadmus and the D.E.O. were functioning independently of Kara, no longer really needing her to act as the leader.  Lex and Megan worked really well together, and often it was the two of them that planned and executed the various missions.  Kara found herself more in an office supervisory role, much like Alex had eventually transitioned into back on their Earth.  
   
It figured that when Kara was no longer necessarily needed to be Power Girl anymore and had the time to be a fiancé and a wife and a mom, that the people that meant the most were living their lives without her.  
   
Kara kicked back in her chair, rebelliously putting her booted feet up on her desk as she went over the latest reports regarding the Chicago based Team Cadmus (made up of many of the superhero group formerly known as the Outsiders) and their recent run in with Black Adam.  The overall efficiency of the team was impressive and Kara was considering how the heroes might be better utilized when her desk phone started ringing.  
   
“Starr here.” Kara spoke abruptly.  Man, she needed to get laid.  Yesterday.  
   
“Kara?  It’s Sawyer.”  
   
Of course she thinks about getting laid and former NYPD Detective Maggie Sawyer calls.  The gorgeous lesbian had made her interest in Kara obvious from the moment they met during the Team Cadmus interview process.  Kara just hated that she would forever associate the police officer with Alex.  Her sister had confided during a sisters’ night that Maggie was an absolute wildcat in bed.  
   
“Hey, Mags.  What’s up?”  
   
“The Director pushed me over to you.  Said it was your call to make.” She took a breath.  “I’ve got a dead Meta in Texas, just north of the Border.”  
   
Kara sat up and turned her computer on in order to look for ant media coverage.  “And he sent you to me because?”  
   
“He said to tell you it’s ‘time’ and ‘no more secrets.’”  
   
“Fuck.” Kara let the expletive slip.  
   
Maggie laughed.  “Okay.  So, that made sense, huh?”  
   
“Where are you?”  
   
The former police offer hummed.  “Currently, my cute little butt is sitting in the Little Hat Tavern in Laredo, Texas… which, incidentally, is right across the street from the Holiday Inn where our Meta was discovered by housekeeping this morning.”  
   
“You’re not with the body?”  
   
“Nope.” Was the quick reply.  “Locals understand that the Feds are going to take over.  I think they’re actually happy about that considering.”  
   
“Kara wanted to bang her head on her desk.  “Considering what, Mags?”  
   
She laughed.  “Well, considering that the Meta looks to be non-human, though only after careful examination.  Medical Examiner’s words, not mine.  The locals don’t really want anything to do with her.”  
   
“Her.  A woman?”  
   
“Well… female.”  
   
“Rao, Mags.  It’s like pulling teeth with you.”  
   
“Fine.” Maggie offered apologetically.  “The vic’s a female.  Not human, though humanoid.  Long red hair, attractive.  Very tall.  What’s got everyone spooked is the gills.”  
   
“Gills?  Like a fish?”  
   
“Like a mermaid, just no tail.”  
   
Kara considered what the former detective was telling her.  “I remember an old tale that a former employee told me about Atlantis.”  
   
“Wow.  There’s a children’s tale I haven’t heard in a while.”  
   
“Shut up.” Kara said.  “You there alone or do you have a partner?”  
   
“Just me.  You gonna send someone this way to help?”  
   
“Yeah.” Kara said slowly.  “Me.”  
   
“You?”  
   
“Megan and Lex have things under control here.  And besides, this might be tied into something that Henshaw promised that I could deal with when the time was right.”  
   
“I get that, but with the new President and the War and stuff… and what about the Breaches and your sister?”  
   
“The War’s not my business.  Not yet.” Kara stood and looked in the closet to see what supplies she might need to requisition.  “And the Portals are slow going.  Mostly making contact and then negotiations begin.  They’ll call me when they find something.”  
   
“Cool.  If you’re sure.  Then get your sexy suit on and come join me.  First round of drinks is on me.”  
   
“”Give me twenty and I’ll be there.”  
   
Kara disconnected the call and considered what Director Henshaw might be alluding to if she got the message Maggie gave to her correctly.  This Meta death might be related to the Super Serial Killer that the D.E.O. and A.R.G.U.S. might have inadvertently started.  Kara still had trouble relating to Cody after she had tried to explain that the Government wasn’t responsible for all those heroes’ deaths.  He’d shaken his head at her and walked away.  She never tried to convince him again.  Leaving her office, Kara started leaving voicemail messages for the appropriate people to let them know where she was going to be.   
   
Lena and Jack were in meetings with Wayne Technologies in a bid to buy a Patent that they owned.  So far, Bruce Wayne wasn’t budging.  That meant neither of her friends picked up.  
   
Lex and Megan and the rest of Team Cadmus Prime (as Helena now called the original team) were off on whatever assignment the two of them had cooked up.  Kara idly wondered if she should care that they were off on a mission without her, but ultimately decided that she didn’t.  That might mean something to be considered later.  
   
She wanted to call Cat.  Rao, but did she want to call the aggravating blonde, but chickened out like she knew that she would and, instead, left a message on Carter’s L-Phone.  She knew he couldn’t pick up since he was currently in school.  
   
The last call was going to be Director Henshaw, but the dark skinned Agent was waiting for her outside of her living quarters within the Atlanta D.E.O. building.  
   
“You headed to Laredo?”  
   
At his question, Kara nodded.  “Yeah.  Seemed like the thing to do.”  
   
Hank considered her carefully.  He started to say something, but then almost seemed to change his mind before he finally spoke.  “This going to be it for you?”  
   
Surprised at his intuition, she shrugged.  “I didn’t really want to do this, you know?  Join up with the Government again.  And to actually enforce Registration and the List… I feel dirty sometimes.”  
   
“We needed you.  I know that the List sucks.  But it’s a necessary evil.”  
   
The woman once known as Supergirl shook her head.  “Evil is evil, Hank.  I know that I’ve betrayed a lot of my own principles, but then again, I always knew I’d do whatever it took to get Alex back.”  
   
“You really think we’d have tried to hold your sister over your head to force you to cooperate?”  
   
“In a heartbeat.” Kara said as she opened her door and began packing for Texas, “Maybe not you… or not you at first.  But someone somewhere would have.”  She looked at the man.  “You impressed me during the possible Meta involvement to strike back for the Embassy bombings.”  
   
“It was the right thing.”  
   
“It was.” She agreed.  “But the right thing isn’t always what gets done.  The List isn’t the right thing.  Forcing heroes to comply or retire isn’t the right thing.  Hell, Team Cadmus isn’t in the right in over half of the missions it undertook, but we followed the orders we were given.”  
   
“If your sister hadn’t been a worry for you?” He asked as Kara zipped her backpack.  
   
“Is this something you really want to know the answer to?”  
   
He nodded.  
   
Taking a deep breath, Kara squared her shoulders and looked at the Director of the D.E.O.  That he had the face of the only person she’d ever have trusted to hold a government job, but to not actually be that man, was something Kara thought her Winn would have gotten a kick out of.  
   
“I’d have said no.”  
   
“That’s it?”  
   
“Isn’t that enough?” Kara didn’t smile as she looked into his eyes.  “There’s no single force on this planet that can stop me; force me to do anything don’t want to do.  Not without some type of leverage… and Alex was it.”  
   
“There’s Cat.”  
   
The Kryptonian nodded.  “True, but she comes with her own style of protection.  And using her as the source of blackmail to keep me in line would have only worked so far, and probably for less than you might imagine.  No, Alex being in limbo was your only opportunity.  You might not have used it, considered it, but someone somewhere had and was counting on me already knowing.”  
   
“I disagree.” He argued.  “It was my choice to approach you.”  
   
“Good.  But you weren’t the first to ask me to join.  Tell me to join.”  Kara led her boss for the moment to the roof.  “You gave a good recruitment speech.  Gave me the chance to surround myself with people of my own choosing that would most likely side with me.  It was the best opportunity to insure my sister would be found.”  
   
“And yet you gave your fiancé up.” That Hank Henshaw spoke those words was just the proof that while he was a better man here than on Earth Thirty-eight, he was still a possible danger to her and the ones that she loved.  
   
The sunlight on her skin felt wonderful.  “I did.  I didn’t think that she and her son would be the price I had to pay, but I paid it.  Maybe things can work out for us later after things settle down.  Maybe not.  It’s something that I hope to have the chance to fix.”  
   
“Are you quitting the D.E.O.?  I still want you as my second-in-command.  That hasn’t changed.”  
   
“We’ll see.” Kara slowly rose into the air.  “Let me play detective for a while.  Consider Sawyer and me off of Team Cadmus for a while… the Chicago team is good.  Promote a few of them, shift some of the others around.”  
   
“Why?”  
   
“Superheroes are cocky.  We’re full of our own superiority and don’t always consider the consequences of our actions.  We get comfortable and complacent.  You gotta shake us awake.  Move us around; krrp us on our toes.”  
   
“You fly.” He stated wryly.  
   
“Eh.”  
   
“And that helps?”  
   
Kara laughed.  “It doesn’t hurt.”  
   
“Good luck, Power Girl.” He nodded respectfully towards her.  “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”  
   
“Up, up and away.”   
   
With those words, Kara zoomed off towards Laredo, Texas… and to hunt a possible serial killer that killed Meta enhanced superheroes and villains.  
   
(( Completed to here by 11-20-2018 ))  
   
   
        TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS  
   
>   
EARTH 159  
FEBRUARY 2017  
>   
   
On television, morgues and medical examination rooms always seemed so much cooler.  The rooms were lowly lit, with advanced technological devices for creating holographic images of various body parts, both inside and out, while a computer zipped through some mysterious database that would spit out a name for the police to interrogate.  It was sleek and exciting and so very, very sexy.  
   
Reality was nothing like the crime drama programs alluded that they were: the rooms were like chemistry class back in high school, with stained linoleum floors and equipment that had never been in style, all sickly painted with unnatural fluorescent lighting that the bulbs didn’t even match.  Everything clean still held the scent of chemicals... in other words, it was the antithesis of sexy.  It was mundane; and Kara, imbued with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men, was miserable.  
   
Maggie Sawyer, on the other hand, seemed like their visiting yet another examination office was par for the course. The shorter brunette had taken a deep breath and popped some Juicy Fruit gum into her mouth before opening the door.  Kara ignored her grin.  
   
Doctor Braddock was apparently already finished with the examination of the latest Meta to come across his desk.  He was washing his hands in the sink, while his assistant was removing the tray of tools necessary for the autopsy they’d missed.  At their entrance, the elder medical professional merely glanced their way before pulling a towel from the dispenser and drying his hands. 

“Not a lot I can tell ya.” He offered as he tossed the towel in the bin. “Same as the last two. No visible signs of trauma. No obvious indicators for cause of death - except he’s dead.”

“Got a name?” Maggie asked. 

“Hall. Hank Hall.” The doctor responded. “Drifter. Been in town about three months according to the sheriff. Was staying at the Holiday Inn across town.”

While Maggie was taking notes, Kara stepped closer to the body. “Anything at all different?”

Doctor Braddock nodded as he approached where they stood. “There’s some foreign material imbedded in the palms of his hands, almost crystalline in appearance. I’ve sent samples to the lab at County. Results shouldn’t be but a day or so.”

“Any here I can look at?” Kara asked. 

“Sure. I have a bit here for you.”

Both Kara and Maggie made their way to the desk where Doctor Braddock indicated. He gestured towards a small baggie that contained what looked like purple dust. Using her ability to look at it better than a microscope, Kara notes that the substance was closer to diamond than crystal. 

“Purple diamonds.”

“What?” Maggie’s voice pulled Kara from her examination. “Diamonds?”

“Yeah. This powder is basically pulverized purple diamond dust.”

“It like that to start off with?” Maggie arched an eyebrow. “Or could old Hank here do that?”

“I doubt he could.” The doctor interjected. “Mister Hall is definitely a Meta... strong, yes, but to do that to a diamond? No. If Missus Starr is correct about this being diamond, then it was like that when it got on his hands.”

“Alright. Thanks, doc.” The former police detective offered. “Can we get a copy of the report faxed? Same number as last time.”

At the man’s affirmative to their request, Kara and Maggie made their exit. The weather outside was fairly nice for this time of year; clear skies under a bright midday sun, no wind, and sixty-six degrees. Maggie pulled her jacket a bit closer, while Kara raised her face to the sun’s rays. 

“Hank Hall. He was Hawk, right?”

Kara spoke without looking at the shorter woman. “He was. Partnered with Dove. Donald Hall. His brother. The second victim down here.”

“Three victims. Same M.O. And our only lead is now pulverized diamond dust.”

“You forgot that it’s purple.” Kara offered. 

“Right.” Maggie’s voice was full of sarcasm. “Purple. That’ll crack the case wide open. How’d I forget that?”

Kara sighed as she followed Maggie to wear their rented car was parked. “You’re in a mood.”

The other woman sighed as she got behind the wheel. “Why were you almost late?”

Allowing the change of subject, Kara buckled her seatbelt. “Lena called. She’s been running interference for me with the rest of the world.”

“Lex, Henshaw or Cat?”

“All three.” Kara laughed. “Wanna grab a bite somewhere?”

Yes. And don’t change the subject.”

“You did.” Kara shot back. 

“Yeah, but mines not any fun to hear about. Yours is better than those horrible teen dramas on The CW. Spill.”

“Fine.” Kara accepted her friend’s argument. “Henshaw officially moved me to inactive status. That girl that was with Captain Marvel? Mary? You know the one? She’s taking my place, with Lex and Megan leading the team.”

“That’s what you wanted, right?” Maggie offered. 

“Yeah. I’m done being on Team Cadmus. Policing the supers. I just don’t trust Marvel. Magic makes me nervous.”

I get that. What else?”

Kara leaned back in the seat. “Lex is calling about some new Meta that he’s excited for me to work with. Kimiyo Hoshi. Scientist that gained superpowers. His wet dream.”

“Yuck.” Maggie wrinkled her nose. “Didn’t need that visual.”

“Lex keeps talking about about how she’s the perfect support for me or something.”

“How?”

“No clue. I only got Lena’s second hand info about it. I’ll call him about it later.”

“And Cat?”

Kata sighed. “Cat wants to talk.”

Maggie got the steering wheel several times. “That’s good, right? She’s finally ready.”

“I guess,” she felt tired. “I mean, I love her. I really do. But she cheated on me with her ex. More than once. And she’s not exactly been pining away since we split.”

“You think she was with other people? After what she promised?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. We tried talking before. A few weeks after I caught her and David. We talked and she asked for another chance.” Kara looked out the passenger side window. “I told her I needed time.”

“And she promised to wait for you.”

“She did. But every time I see anything in the news about her, she’s being spotted with other people.”

“Yeah. Friends.”

Kara laughed. “She slept with a ‘friend’ while engaged to me, Mags. We’re not engaged anymore.”

“But she promised.”

“She promised before. Accepting my ring was a promise.”

“But-“

“Why does this mean so much to you, Maggie?” Kara asked. “What’s going on?”

“Don’t be mad...”

“A sure sign I’m about to be mad.” Kara replied sardonically. “Okay. Hit me with it.”

“We’ve been keeping an eye on her.”

“Who?”

“Cat.”

Kara rolled her eyes. “I got that part. No, I mean who’s the ‘we’ you’re talking about.”

Maggie pulled in to a Mexican place for them to eat at. “Me, Jack and Lena, Lex and Megan. Caitlin joined in after she caught us talking. Helena, too.”

“Really?”

Mags nodded. “You’ve got a lot of people that care about you. Not just for work and stuff, but really want you to be happy.”

“And y’all think Cat will make me happy? After what she did?”

The shorter woman turned in her seat and looked at Kara. “I know she hurt you. I’d kill her for that alone, but that you can’t live without her. What she did was awful and mean and so many other things... but she lives you. And you love her. We all want you to be happy, as she makes you happy.”

“All those people-“

“Were nothing.” Maggie interrupts. “Friends that got. Othing more than kisses on the cheek. Every last one of them knew that she was just looking for a friend. Hell, most of them were giving Cat advice on how to make things right with you.”

“And David?” She’s almost afraid to ask.

“David Foster hasn’t been alone with Cat Grant since that day you found him in the apartment.” Maggie offered. “They both make every effort to not give any reason for anyone to suspect anything. In fact, Cat doesn’t spend alone time with anyone but Carter.”

“But the reports...”

“Are all in public. Kara, she doesn’t ride alone with any one. She doesn’t share cabs, elevators or anything alone. So, unless she’s better than the ones we’ve got watching her, she’s being faithful.”

“Now she is.”

“True.” Maggie put her hand in Kara’s shoulder. “And you deserved that from the beginning. But the past is the past. You’ve got to decide if you can forgive her and move forward. That’s what we want for you.”

“And if I can’t?”

“Then let the poor woman go. She’ll have learned her lesson the hard way that she lost someone great, and then the both of you can try and find happiness elsewhere.”

“You make it sound so easy.”

“It’s not.” Maggie smiled sadly. “I lost someone. I loved Kate a lot, but not enough to try as hard as I should have. She moved on, and so have I, sort of. It hurts, but I’m making it. You will, too.”

Kata hugged her friend. “Thank you.”

“Anytime.” Kara could hear the smile in her voice. “Now let’s eat. We can decide how pulverized purple diamond dust is going to be the smoking gun that’s gonna solve these cases.”  
   
   
        TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS  
   
>   
EARTH 159  
AUGUST 2017  
>   
   
It had been decades since Kara had been forced to endure the unyielding horror of the radioactive green glow of Kryptonite upon her skin, inundating her very soul with the specter of a waiting Death… his scythe raised and just barely holding back from making the final sweep, releasing her from the pain of living.  
   
Rao, but the agony of that damnable emerald rock made her so loopy that she was waxing poetic about dying.  What was wrong with her?  Kara tried to find some way of alleviating the torture that President Luthor was making her suffer through… some minor moment to catch her breath, to hang on until help arrived.  
   
It had been planned so well.   
   
The Portal was strategically placed within an underground bunker in the Appalachian Mountains in an abandoned slash decommissioned Army base, surrounded by tons of mountain and rock and concrete walls… the very best of private security hired by seven of the richest corporations within the United States, alongside men from each branch of the U.S. Military; all armed for whatever might dare to encroach upon Earth One Hundred Fifty-nine’s sovereignty.  No less than ten superheroes were stationed here each week.  No set of ten ever worked more than their ten-day stretch within a three month period to prevent complicity.  There were agents with the FBI, DEO, CIA, Homeland Security and so many other lettered agencies that Kara often forgot what they stood for.

(( Completed to here on 11-27-2018. Thanksgiving kicked my butt ))  
   
It all should have been enough, but she and the D.E.O. and the rest had gotten arrogant; they’d believed they had everything under control. They did not. 

President Luthor and his world destroying army invaded - they came straight through the doorway that Earth One Hundred Fifty-nine had created to traverse the Multiverse. No sneaking in. No hiding. No... Luthor came blasting into Kara’s new Earth like the Big Bad Wolf going after the first Little Piggy’s straw abode. 

Five Metas died before an alarm could be sounded. Two platoons’ worth of good men and women held the line long enough for a single Agent to get a call out for reinforcements. By the time any response could be sent, the base had fallen completely and President Luthor was invading the middle of the United States. 

Initially, Kara had been left out of the loop. An amalgamation of several Team Cadmus members had been sent to stop the threat of an Earth versus Earth invasion. Thirty-four superheroes; some of this Earth’s finest had answered the call. 

They failed. President Luthor has defeated them in less time than it took for the agents observing from a place of safety to report back. Earth Thirty-eight had already defeated its versions of the superheroes. What worked before had worked again. It seemed that the evil genius of President Luthor was unstoppable. Again. The only option was for Power Girl to save the day. 

Kara had been walking in the park, enjoying a day off... away from trying to catch a serial killer, trying to repair her relationship with Cat - the two of them walking hand in hand, Carter running ahead of them, eager to feed the ducks. It was maybe a good beginning to make right a terrible wrong. 

That Wonder Woman had landed in front of them, no warning whatsoever, had lent to Kara the magnitude of danger that was about to be relayed. 

Cat had asked if World War Three had finally been declared. Diana’s negative response had seemed like a good thing until the Amazon Princess has explained what was already happening... that one of Kara’s worst fears was happening. Now. 

She could still taste the saltiness of Cat’s tears in that kiss; the promise of love forever, no matter the outcome. Kara had fled, unable to maybe say goodbye to Carter. 

Diana had acted as a diversion for the mech-armored fighters that President Luthor had around the Portal’s home. She truly was proving that the legends of the Amazons’ prowess for war was true... but Kara witnessed none of the taller woman’s valor. Her target was Luthor. It had always been destined for a Kryptonian and him to decide their fate. She hated that little Kal-El hadn’t been here at the end. 

She’d blasted through the very rock of the mountain, the shockwave of her initial strike knocking President Luther’s men off their feet. She ignored Henshaw’s saying something in her ear... to wait for backup, but Kara was too far already committed. The madman had to be stopped jo matter the cost. 

She’d recognized the armor he wore - a bastardized blend of the suit he’d famously worn during that day long battle with Kal that had led to his incarceration. Kara had thought it destroyed. But here it was, now mixed in with the armor style of her home world. He screamed against all things alien except when and where it benefited him. 

No matter. The armor had ripped away like paper under her fingers, but he’d counted on that. Kara never consider that the lead alloy mixed within the faux Kryptonian battle armor he’d been wearing hid his wearing those damnable green rocks. Kryptonite was in play. 

“You’ve led me on a merry little chase, girl, but it’s time to die.” He taunted. That he’d become even more perverse in his aging body... easily into his late sixties, President Luthor was a nightmare. 

His foot dug into her ribs where he kicked her. It felt like another rib cracked - his boots felt reinforced. Another one definitely popped as he kicked her again and again. 

“That your weak version of me thought I didn’t know he lied to protect you. Pathetic.” He spit into her face. “After wiping out you and the rest of your perverted kind, I’ll cleanse this Earth like the others.”

“O-others?” She coughed up blood. 

“Oh, yes.” He sneered at her, his eyes bright with madness. “One by one, the Multiverse will be wiped clean of the Metas. Of aliens. Humanity will remain the dominant species.”

He walked away from her then as he continued to rave about how it was his Holy mission to save the Earth - every Earth - from the dangers that powered and enhanced individuals posed for humanity. Kara felt the Kryptonite’s radiation moving far enough away that maybe her strength could return, but she’d spent too much just getting to him. Her powers were drained... and being under a mountain left little chance of a recharge from the sun. 

He laughed mockingly as he watched her struggle to rise. “Poor little Supergirl. Power Girl. Have you ever truly won at anything you tried? Without help?”

“My sister put up a better fight than you, not that it did her any good. Or the Grant woman. Why they ever believed in you I’ll never understand.”

She was trying to get up. To fight him. To stop him. Rao, but she needed to stop him. 

“I might let you live.” He studied some of the broken equipment scattered around the room. “Seeing a broken Kryptonian will work wonders. That and after I absorb the Luthor tech from this world...”

“We won’t l-let y-you won.”

“I’ve won in twelve worlds so far.” President Luthor taunted her. “This Earth will be thirteen. Lucky number thirteen. I like the modifications made to the breach technology here. It’ll help me find that butch of a sister of yours.”

“You leave Alex alone.” Kara tried to rise. If she could just find some juice. Somewhere. 

He looked ready to say something, when the sounds of fighting echoed through the halls. He smiled. 

“Seems there’s a few more I get to destroy.”

Kara watched as the man who’d driven her away from everything she’d once loved touched his ear. “Report.”

Without her powers, she couldn’t hear what the person on the other end of the call was saying,,, but she took hope that Luther’s lips turned downwards. 

“How many?” Pause. “Use the third setting.” Pause. “I don’t care. Just get it done.”

Kara chuckled. It hurt to even breathe, but anything that pissed him off had to be worth it. “Plan not working out.”

He kicked at the rubble at his feet, sending it at her. A petty action, but it hurt all the same. Maybe taunting him wasn’t her best idea. 

“A minor annoyance. At best.” He pulled a pistol out and began examine it. “A few so-called heroes are trying to rally the others. Get to us, maybe. It won’t matter.” He laughed. “By the time they could get her to you, you’ll be dead.”

President Luthor pointed the gun at her. Kara knee this was the end. She prayed to Rao to watch out for Cat. For Carter. For Alex. For Lena. And Kara wondered if the afterlife would include those she’d left behind and lost from her Earth. 

“They’ll get you.”

He was already shaking his head. “I’ve got the portal.” He gestured begins him where the hallway that led to the Portal’s Chamber was located. “If they break through my men, I’ll just go get some more. I’ve got worlds of soldiers I can call upon”

“Yeah. Good plan.” Cisco’s voice suddenly brought both of their attention to where the hero stood, his Vibe outfit never looking more impressive to Kara than at that exact moment. “Might’ve worked except I removed the flux capacitor.”

President Luthor immediately turned and fired a shot at her friend. His aim was true, but the bullet stopped in midair a foot away from where the Meta stood. 

“Wow. He wanted to kill you.” That goth wannabe from so long ago spoke as she seemed to melt into being from the shadows. Raven. That was her name. “Not very nice.”

Kara coughed. “He’s not nice. You guys here to save me?”

Cisco smiled. “Nah. Brought you a present. Lex... our Lex... he says to tell you ‘you’re welcome.’”

“This my big entrance?” A woman’s voice came from the doorway. Kata wanted to see who the new person was, but President Luthor started screaming as he began firing at everyone in the room. It was all for naught, as Raven continued to stop the bullets from going very far. 

“I’ll destroy all of you. You can’t stop me. Nobody can stop me!”

They were too cocky. Kara wanted to yell at them that he wasn’t to be underestimated, but anything she might’ve said was lost as the madman used the Hot Topic hero’s focus in the shots fired to cover his other hand reaching into a pocket. 

The resulting explosion put both Vibe and Raven down. Through the dust that filled the room, the Red Tornado robot stood. President Luthor was laughing. 

“Fools. No one can defeat me.”

“Well, maybe Power Girl can.”

The woman that had spoken before made her way to wear Kara was laying. Kara wished that she could be the hero needed right now, but they seemed to be all out of miracles. Shaking her head at the Asian woman, she tried to make her understand that she should run. 

“And what do you do, foolish girl?” Lex was wiping at his clothes while the Red Tornado stood readily available to do its master’s bidding. “Is this where you use some Meta power against me? You got invulnerable skin and super strength?”

“Nope.” She answered with only the barest trace of a shake to her voice.

“Well, who are you then? Your costume is pretty sad. I like to know who I’m destroying.”

“I’m Kimiyo Hoshi.” Why’d that name sound familiar? “But you can call me Doctor Light.”

The room suddenly felt like standing in the heart of the sun. No heat, but the full spectrum of the sun was everywhere. 

Kara idly heard President Luthor scream about being unable to see. She could definitely understand such a reaction, as she could see the blinding whiteness even with her eyes closed. It was impressive even without any actual force behind what Hoshi was doing. 

And then it all began to make sense. 

Kara’s powers were already at what she’d considered max absorption, like sunbathing for days straight during an Alaskan summer... hours upon hours, day after day... but it wasn’t stopping. She’d gone from zero to three hundred in a few seconds, and now she was nearing three thousand with no sign of stopping. The power was too much. 

“That’s enough.”

At her words, Kara found the light... oh, that blessed light, gone. Hoshi - Doctor Light - stood there with a satisfied smile on her face. “You good?”

Kara flexed her fingers. “Oh, yeah.”

“Red Tornado. Destroy Supergirl.”

The robot flew directly at her. Kara barely had to think, her hands caught the mechanical menace and she tore the head off from the ear of the body. It was so easy. 

She caught a glimpse of her hair as she twirled around to toss the broken robot pieces behind where she stood. It was glowing, like Wonder Woman’s lasso, glowing. Her nails shone brightly and her skin was tanned as if the sun was tanning her from somewhere inside. 

“No matter.” Luthor cried out as he brought the Kryptonite closer and closer until he forcefully flared the rock directly upon her skin. 

It was just a rock. 

Well, that wasn’t exactly true. Kara could feel where the rock touched her skin, that area seemed to cool down, the sunlight within fading slightly. 

Without a thought, she took the Kryptonite from President Luthor’s hand and tossed it over her shoulder to where Doctor Light was helping Cisco and Raven off the floor. 

“Whoa.” Raven whispered. It was almost a scream to Kara’s ears. “You do that?”

Kara ignored anything that might’ve come after that. Luthor finally looked afraid. 

“It is my very distinct pleasure to place you under arrest, Alexander Luthor of Earth Thirty-eight.”

He spit at her again. She allowed it. Nothing could ruin this moment. “I am not a citizen of this reality. I demand to be tried on my own Earth.”

“Demand all you want. Well let OUR judicial system decide what to do with you.” She looked over to her three rescuers. “Can you transport him? I want to round up all of his people.”

“I’ve got him, Power Girl.”

At Vibe’s word, she shoved him away and quickly moved through the facility, her eyes scanning everywhere to root out any of the Earth Thirty-eight invaders. 

She moved like.. it was indescribable. Was this how Barry felt all of the time? Barely a moment had passed between leaving Luthor with Cisco and the two women and her clearing out any that didn’t belong inside the base. How did speedsters not go insane with a world as slow as the rest of, well... everything else moved?

Between thoughts, Kara had rounded up the rest of Luthor’s soldiers. Done with that task, she considered the Metas and other heroes that had been taken captive. So many superheroes were hurt, many were in dire need of assistance - more than Kata could do. 

Her Bluetooth was not working, so she found one on a Soldier that would never need one again. So many lives, wasted and tossed away because a megalomaniac had to destroy her... and accumulate more power for himself. Such a waste. 

“Kara Starr, Power Girl, here. Does anyone copy?”

Silence. 

“I repeat, Power Girl here. Can anyone read me?”

The line crackled a few times before a voice answered. “Affirmative, Power Girl. Request clearance code. Over.”

Clearance code? Damn, she never paid any attention to those things. Great. Just perfect. Save the world maybe and now she’s gonna her bombed because she didn’t pay attention in class. It was high school all over again. 

“Uh... negative. I don’t have any clearance codes. Over?”

She waited until another voice was in her ear. “Kara?”

Cat. Thank Rao. “Hey, babe. Yeah it’s me.”

“A f you don’t k is the clearance code? The all clear? Really?”

Kara laughed. “I never had to know it. I had people for that kinda thing. Can you get medical down here? And some fresh troops.”

“Sure.” Cat’s voice vanished for a few minutes. “Are you okay? Do you need anything?”

“Yeah. Let’s get married, Cat. Today.”

The silence that followed that statement seemed to last forever. Kata was about to say something when Cat’s voice finally came back online. 

“You’re proposing? Again? Over an open military channel?” Her voice got louder with every word. “This is how you do this? Now?”

“Yeah. Whaddya say?”

She could hear the sigh without the need of the cellular connection. 

“Fine.”

And maybe all was as right in the world as it could be. 

   
       TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS TNAoKS  
   
>   
EARTH H-77  
JULY 2018  
>   
 

“It’s time for me to go.”

She tries not to look into the face of her bedmate and lover for the past two weeks. They both knew it wasn’t going to be a forever type of relationship, but feelings had begun... for both of them, and that was never good. She needed to leave. It was why they were meeting at the J’ters Coffees and Teas Market instead of at her apartment. Too much temptation. 

“You could stay. Make a life here.” The redhead sighed. “With me.”

Alex Danvers shook her head, hating that she had to refuse. “It’s not in the cards for us, Buffy. You know that as much as I do. I can’t stay; not with my sister out there. Somewhere.”

Buffy Sanders shrugged her shoulders and then sat back in her chair. Her chai tea all but forgotten. “I hate this sister of yours, you know.”

“I know.” Alex sipped at her coffee. 

“She’ll accept your changes?” The blonde looked at her. “She won’t hold what you’ve had to do to survive against you?”

“What? Sleeping with a girl in a sorority? A Tri Psi?” Alex teased. “Or do you mean becoming a thrall to a vampire? Cause I’m not sure which Kara might think is worse.”

“You’re a jerk. I’m glad you’re leaving.”

“No you’re not.” Alex took Buffy’s hands in her own. “You could come with me.”

“Into a world that might not be so tolerant of my kind? Where all the protection of my Clan would be left behind?” She scoffed. “That’s even less likely than you staying.”

“So, this is it.”

Buffy nodded, the reddish tint of tears threatening to fall. “It is. Your trans dimensional portal device is fixed. Right?”

The brunette nodded. “Yeah. Clark’s friends in Metropolis City got it recalibrated. All good.”

“Did they get the frequency thing working?”

“The modulator.” Alex corrected. “And yes, the dial works now. The improvements will make passing through the different Earths easier. I can choose where I’ll be going now.”

“Will you come back?” Buffy asked, her voice cracking. 

Alex held back from crying, but it was a very close thing. “I will. If you want me to.”

“Oh, yes.”

Alex stood, refusing to release her lover’s hand just yet. “Walk me out.”

Once standing, Alex caught their reflection (she still teased the blonde about her actually having a reflection. What self respecting Lord or Lady of the Night could see themselves in a mirror?) in the large wall mirror behind the register across the room. They looked like almost any other couple that could be found in the city. 

Buffy was young, twenty-something, in a Tri Psi Sorority sweatshirt, extra large, with a bright red strap from her tank top peaking out over her left shoulder; dark jeans and ankle high boots. Her ensemble was finished with a Metropolis State backpack being used in place of a purse. Alex was about what she had always been. A just over thirty butch with a bob cut; ripped jeans over combat boots, all paired beneath a dark flannel shirt and a black leather jacket. 

That she was still ‘just over thirty’ after being away from Kara for near on two decades was thanks to Buffy. Seemed vampire blood didn’t have to make you a vampire... ingesting the stuff was enough to make you almost a Meta; plus the handy side effect of retarding the aging process - even helping reverse some years, if you were lucky. 

The pair walked out of the shop, Alex’s other hand carrying the duffel bag that held her few, meager belongings. Even after these long years bouncing around the Multiverse she’d never been one to become encumbered with too much stuff. Most of what was in the bag consisted of a few trinkets to share with Kara, once she’d found her, and some photos. Most was from here, in fact, since Buffy had been such a blessing. 

As they walked out into the darkened evening, Alex led the vampire into the alleyway (a humorous change if you thought about it). Glancing behind them to make sure the coast was clear, Alex released Buffy’s hand, freeing her to pull the modified portal creator out of her jacket’s pocket. 

“I hate this. You should stay.”

Alex paused, not yet pressing the button. She ignored the supernatural pull she felt at Buffy’s words. “Don’t do this. Not now.”

“Please.”

She pushed the button. If Clark’s friends knew their calculations, then this breach should take her directly to where Alex had left Kara. Her dream was within reach. 

“I’ll be back.”

Buffy looked ready to let those blood-tainted tears fall. “Promise me.”

Alex suddenly had her vampire lover in her arms, kissing her like the first time; maybe the last time. As always, her tongue nicked one of Buffy’s fangs, allowing the scent of blood to create that unnatural spark that pulled the two together. 

And then Alex stepped away. “I promise.” Stepping through the portal was the long familiar rush that she’d missed these past three years on this Earth. Too long... and watching Buffy fade away, not near long enough. 

The rush of moving between worlds, Alex felt the roll of her stomach as it tried to expel the coffee she’d just drank. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath - giving herself a moment to settle her stomach. After another deep gulp of air, the queasiness let up. Alex blinked several times as she allowed her eyes to adjust to the sunlight. Daytime here. 

If Professor Knight was correct (and god protect anyone who dared accuse the man of not being right!) and his coordinates were good, then Alex should be in Atlanta, Georgia near where they had separated... but where to start?

“Dimensional traveler!” A voice called from behind where she was currently standing. “Please identify yourself, as well as the Earth origin you claim.”

She turned slowly around to see what she was up against. When Alex was able to take stock of her current situation, things didn’t immediately look good for her chances. There was a Meta floating a few feet above the ground. She was fairly young in appearance, almost reminding Alex of her sister once upon a time. Her uniform slash costume was white with a large, golden lightning bolt on the chest area. Her boots and costume trim matched the bolt. 

“Uhm. Hi?” Alex offered. 

Behind the obvious superhero, several police cars and a federal looking SUV screeched into view, all quickly letting various officers out to surround where Alex currently stood. She raised her hands above her head to hopefully show she came in peace. 

The superhero spoke again. “Name, please, and your Earth designation. Now.”

“Fine. I’m Alex. Alex Danvers.” Her words definitely caused a reaction. “And I’m from Earth Thirty-eight... though I no longer claim it as my own. I’m looking fo-“

“Oh. Em. Gee.” The girl dropped to the ground, her eyes wide. She immediately turned to the support officers behind her. “Call Luthor. Now. Tell them it’s Code Zero Zero Two. Go. Hurry!”

Alex watched as no less than five of the local authorities and one of the Federal jumped and started making calls. One car pulled out and took off down the street like there was a bomb threat at the capital building or something. The hero in white slowly approached. 

“Can I get anything for you, Miss Danvers? Do you require medical attention or anything? Anything at all?”

She shook her head. “So, who’re you supposed to be?”

The girl meta blushed. It was cute. “Sorry. I just didn’t expect it to be you. I’m Mary. Mary Marvel. I’m the field commander for Team Cadmus here in Atlanta while the-“

“Cadmus?” Alex went to draw her pistol, but the Marvel girl grabbed her wrist. Definitely Meta strong. Strong and fast. 

“Sorry. Missus Grant said you’d react badly to hearing about Cadmus. I forgot.”

Alex tried to process what the girl was talking about. “Grant? Cat Grant? What’s she got to do with Cadmus.”

“We’re the good guys. It’s okay.”

“Okay... but what’s code zero zero two?” 

Mary opened her mouth to respond, when someone new entered into the picture. “Stand down, M and M.”

Alex turned to see Lena Luthor approaching. “Lena? Lena Luthor?” She asked cautiously. The last two Lena’s Alex had dealt with had been as evil as her brother. 

“I told you not to refer to me as candy.” Mary stomped her foot. 

“Yeah.” Lena laughed. “Get over it. Kara calls you that and, as her bee eff eff, I get those same privileges. Get her to stop and I’ll stop.”

“I’m so screwed.”

Lena nodded, but Alex really didn’t care. Lena had said Kara’s name. Kata was here. Hopefully HER Kara.”

“Kara?”

The Luthor doppelgänger turned and looked Alex over carefully. It was obvious... and on any other day maybe she would let it go, but not today. Alex couldn’t wait. “Where’s my sister?”

Lena walked closer and offered her hand to shake. “Alex Danvers. It’s a definite pleasure to finally meet you. It figures after all the trouble we’ve gone through to track you down that you’d find us. Kara will never let anyone hear the end of it.”

“Miss Luthor, please.”

“It’s actually Missus Spheer-Luthor.” She said with a smile. “And my husband, Jack, is currently trying to get in touch with Kara. Yes, your Kara from Earth Thirty-eight. It just may take a bit.”

“A bit? Why? What’s wrong?”

“Nothings wrong.” Lena offered. “ She’s just on her honeymoon. She and Cat left three days ago. They’re not due back for another ten days.”

“Married? Kara? To Cat Grant?” Mary’s statement about ‘Missus’ Grant now made more sense. But married?

“Yeah. After the battle fending off your Earth’s invasion attempt by Lex Luthor, those two finally admitted they couldn’t live without one another and went to the courthouse. Neither wanted any big production without you. Figures you show up now.”

Alex sat down on the sidewalk. She and Lena pretty much had the entire city block to themselves, the various officers and agents coordinating the area. 

“So, Kara’s doing okay?” She wanted to cry. 

Lena threw her head back and let loose a deep laugh. Even Alex smiled along. “Your Kara’s got this whole world dancing to her tune. The only thing stopping her from thinking this is paradise was missing you. I don’t know how we’ll be able to live with her now.”

Lena’s phone started to ring. She looked at its screen before smiling. She showed Alex the display. It was her sister, arms around Lena with both of them smiling. 

Alex felt the dam break as tears burst from her eyes. Grabbing at Lena’s cellphone, she couldn’t press the green answer button fast enough.

“Kara?”

 

THE END

(( Completed on 11-28-2018 ))

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah.  I know.   
>    
> You’re thinking to yourself, “Wait!  That’s it?  I want more.”     
>    
> Hopefully you want more.  
>    
> This was a first for me.  I usually have a fairly completed outline of where I want to go and try to keep to the script… or, I write a chapter at a time, but the overall story of each chapter is self-contained (i.e., There’s an App for That) and can end whenever I say I’m done.   
>    
> This instead was based on a writer’s challenge and I just started writing, basically letting the story take me where it wanted to go.  I completed the challenge, over 50k words in less than 30 days… but it became so much bigger than I originally planned.   
>    
> Where did my notes go?  Why were they acting like this?   
>    
> I hated Jack Spheer on the Supergirl TV show… but here, I love him.  I want Lena and Jack to have a happy ending.  They worked so well in my head and in the story.  
>    
> And Cat… oh, my OTP, Kara and Cat.  How did this happen?  Somewhere between finishing Chapter One and moving into finishing Chapter Two, angst struck.  Kara was becoming a superhero again, and Cat refused to be second place.  
>    
> Well… at least you got to see Alex.  I almost need to write Alex’s story now before there can be more Kara and Alex from this point forward.  So much time has passed… how can I justify a virtual stranger meeting a stranger and then saying ‘okay, next’?  
>    
> And the plots included, but never completely resolved.  Any guesses on the serial killer’s identity?  I think there was enough DC canon thrown in that an educated guess could be made.  
>    
> Or the first Texas victim and what her death could lead to for this world’s superheroes?  I think she was obvious. Her death was originally the basis for where this story was headed. Check the names from Starr Shine Salvage. They weren’t random.  
>    
> And let’s not forget that the world is on the brink of a war that could include super humans.  Oh, my!   
>    
> Maybe more will come.  Maybe.  
>    
> I need to get back to the stories I have actual outlines I’m following, as well as those that are self-contained chapters.  
>    
> Thanks for reading.


End file.
